Earlier this week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against an appeal by pipeline opponents of two Commonwealth Court decisions in favor of Mariner East Pipelines.
The lower courts found that local zoning ordinances in Chester and Delaware county’s local ordinances cannot impede or halt construction based on their specific zoning regulations. In February of this year the Commonwealth Court ruled in favor of Sunoco Pipeline, citing that since ME2 is regulated by the PUC as a “public utility service and utility.” Sunoco’s status as a public utility status continues to come into question by radical opponents to pipeline infrastructure, ignoring longstanding laws and regulations.
Pipelines are the safest means to transport energy resources, yet anti-pipeline groups feverishly push the erroneous idea that energy infrastructure is a hazard to the community, when in reality it is an asset to not only Pennsylvania but the country. The Mariner East pipeline project has been found to have a $9.1 billion economic impact on the state, through jobs and enhanced economic activity. This is just the latest ruling against pipeline opponents, proving once again that their last ditch attempts to delay or halt this legally permitted project are out of order.
We commend the courts for again siding with Mariner East and not allowing desperate anti-pipeline activists to further halt operations.