DEP Collects $85,000 Penalty For Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction Violations In Blair, Cumberland, Juniata, Lebanon Counties

On August 16, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has assessed an $85,666 penalty from Sunoco Pipeline LP (Sunoco) for violations related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline in four Pennsylvania counties: Blair, Cumberland, Juniata, and Lebanon. 

The violations took place between February and August 2020. The penalty was part of a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty (CACP) signed earlier this month. 

“Protecting the waters of the Commonwealth is one of the top priorities of DEP and we will continue to hold polluters of those waters accountable,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. 

Sunoco’s activities resulted in unauthorized discharges of drilling fluids consisting of bentonite clay and water, also known as inadvertent returns, to a wetland in Blair County; Letort Spring Run and wetlands in Cumberland County; a wetland and Tuscarora Creek in Juniata County, and Snitz Creek in Lebanon County.

As part of the agreement, DEP has assessed a civil penalty of $85,666 for the violations, which Sunoco has agreed to pay to the Commonwealth.  

A portion of the civil penalty, $1,166, will be paid to the county conservation districts to reimburse them for their costs incurred during their investigation of the inadvertent returns. The remaining penalty, $84,500, will be paid to the state’s Clean Water Fund. 

In addition to the penalty paid to the Commonwealth and the county conservation districts, Sunoco will also pay a penalty of $12,424 to the Fish and Boat Commission. 

More information, including the CACP and supporting documents, can be found on DEP's Mariner East 2 webpage.

Related Articles:

-- House Environmental Committee Sets Aug. 17 Hearing On Environmental, Economic Benefits Of Pipelines; DEP/PUC Fined Pipelines Over $55 Million For Violations Over Last 5 Years

-- Sen. Muth, Rep. Friel Otten: One Year After Mariner East Pipeline Spill 33 Acres Of Marsh Creek State Park Lake Is Still Off Limits, No Remediation Done

-- Natural Gas, Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Are NOT Required To Carry Insurance Or Show They Can Pay For Damages If They Explode, Leak Or Kill Someone

[Posted: August 16, 2021]  PA Environment Digest