New Lawsuits Just Another Misguided Attempt at Delaying Mariner East 2

Once again a small group of southeastern Pennsylvania legislators and pipeline opponents are trying to halt pipeline drilling and construction activities. Yesterday the Clean Air Council, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and Mountain Watershed Association, Inc. filed two more lawsuits against the Department of Environmental Protection and Sunoco Pipeline Logistics.

These groups are claiming unlawful conduct related to Mariner East 2, but the project has always adhered to strict state and federal regulations to ensure system safety. In fact the natural gas delivery system is actually the safest form of energy delivery in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Study after study has shown that pipelines are the safest, most efficient way to transport energy resources, yet these groups persist, causing costly delays.

These new lawsuits are just the latest in a long line of attempts by opposition groups to pull out all the stops and try to appeal they’re way to a win. In this losing battle they continue to abuse the system to get what they want.

In response to the lawsuit Vicki Anderson Granado, spokesperson for Energy Transfer Partners, had this to say, “We believe that these suits are without merit. We remain fully in compliance with all agreements and permits and are committed to doing so throughout the remainder of our construction. This is a disingenuous attempt by the opposition to continue to try to find a way to slow down this important infrastructure project that is 94 percent complete on mainline construction, with 84 percent of drills completed or underway. We look forward to being in service by the end of the second quarter.”

The lawsuits only serve to slow down the pipeline project. They’ve won nothing. Court case after court case has sided with Mariner East 2, and these latest ones no doubt will again.