Friend, we don’t have much time.

Sunoco/Energy Transfer Partners has submitted permit renewal applications for its Mariner East 2 pipeline, which would give them the green light to finish construction on this disaster of a pipeline.

From dozens of drilling mud spills into waterways across Pennsylvania, to dangerous sinkholes in Chester County, we’ve already seen massive destruction caused by this pipeline — and it’s not even done yet. Once it’s completed, it will carry volatile liquefied natural gas below our homes, schools, hospitals, and elderly facilities that could leak and explode at any time.

Luckily, Sunoco can’t move forward without receiving approval from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Comments are due this Tuesday, January 25 — which means we have a short window to block this pipeline.

Please do your part and remind the DEP of its power to stop this notorious project, and urge the agency to deny Sunoco’s application to renew permits.

TAKE ACTION

The Mariner East 2 pipeline has caused destruction to nearby communities time and time again, from dangerous sinkholes and leaks to a spill of more than 21,000 gallons of drilling mud into Marsh Creek Lake. Sunoco/Energy Transfer Partners has paid fines following several of these episodes of misconduct and blatant disregard for our community. But clearly the fines aren’t working because the company keeps making careless mistakes.

The updated permits also got submitted despite the filing of 48 criminal charges in October by the state Attorney General’s Office against the Texas-based company.

Pennsylvania needs to send a strong message to oil and gas companies that we put Pennsylvanians’ health first and will bar bad actors from profiting from our resources. Companies like Energy Transfer Partners that have been unable to demonstrate an ability to operate within the bounds of their permits and other laws should lose the privilege of doing business in our Commonwealth — the risk to our communities is too high. State law allows our regulators to revoke or suspend existing permits and to deny future permits to companies that don’t play by the rules.

Only the DEP can determine whether to renew these construction permits and allow Sunoco to continue its work on Mariner East. Simply renewing these permits is insufficient. DEP must take Sunoco/Energy Transfer’s history of noncompliance, including the 48 open charges filed by the Attorney General, into account.

Tell DEP to deny permits for the Mariner East 2 pipeline >>

Thanks for all that you do.

Jess Cadorette

Field Director

Conservation Voters of PA