In the last week, the Mariner East 2 pipeline project has cleared two legal hurdles pipeline opponents pushed as last ditch efforts in hopes of stopping the project from becoming operational.
The decisions came from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court – which confirmed the project’s eminent domain authority as granted by its public utility designation – and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, a regulator.
Confirmation from the highest court in Pennsylvania and the state’s authority on utility and infrastructure projects confirms what Sunoco has always prioritized – exceeding all safety standards to ensure the safe and most efficient transport of energy products.
In light of the recent rulings Kurt Knaus, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance, was featured in a recent Delco Times editorial penned by the papers editor, Phil Herron. Knaus offered:
“The administrative law judge’s ruling is the latest in a string of court decisions at every level of the years to find that Mariner East is legally permitted and that the building is in compliance with safety requirements. The facts are clear, this is settled law, and the case is closed. It’s time to end the ideological challenges and put this project to work for Pennsylvania.”
Mariner East will allow Pennsylvania to fully embrace a key energy source in the Marcellus and Utica Shale Formations, which has propelled Pennsylvania and the US as a leader in natural gas production. Mariner East is a $9.1 economic investment in the state, which will have a positive benefit for every Pennsylvanian and its time that opponents stop working to block these positive benefits. It’s time to complete the project without any new frivolous delays.