Expert Offers Opposing Thought to Radical Opposition Groups: Logic

On Monday, July 23rd the Delaware County Board of Supervisors hosted Accufacts Inc. President, Richard Kuprewicz, to answer residents’ questions and provide insight into pipeline safety practices for the Mariner East Pipeline project.

Kuprewicz, a consultant hired by the Middletown Township, clarified what need the community had to undergo another risk assessment study, zero. Kuperwicz himself deemed these type of studies, called quantitative risk assessments (QRA), unnecessary.

He told residents that QRAs can often be designed to fit any outcome the consultants want. This calls the entire study into question and leaves the findings completely devoid of importance.

Some attendees, such as Eric Freidman of the Middletown Coalition for Public Safety, seemed enraged that Kuprewicz was not willing to side with opposition groups. This goes to show the oppositions’ commitment to bias narratives, while completely disregarding cold hard facts.

Kuperwicz said it best when he told residents not to let fear cloud judgement as “decisions driven by fear are understandable, but can be very inappropriate.” He instead encouraged officials and the community to substitute fear for logic, asking opposition groups to foster rather than degrade relationships with pipeline builders, operators, and first responders.

How long will radical anti-pipeline groups continue to feed into false narratives, clouding the truth that pipelines are the safest way to transport vital natural resources.