PA Environment Digest Blog: New Legislation Announced To Strengthen Spill Response Law In PA After Energy Transfer/Sunoco Jet Fuel Pipeline Rupture In Upper Makefield Twp., Bucks County

On January 30, Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and Rep. Perry Warren (D-Bucks), joined by Upper Makefield Township officials and local residents, today announced the introduction of the Pennsylvania Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act (ECRA), legislation designed to close critical gaps in state law exposed by last year’s jet fuel pipeline leak in the Mt. Eyre residential neighborhood.

Nearly one year after the spill contaminated private drinking water wells in Upper Makefield Township, residents are still grappling with uncertainty, delays, and the long-term impacts of contamination.

The incident highlighted how current Pennsylvania statutes are ill-equipped to address active spills and environmental emergencies in residential communities.

ECRA would allow the state to take immediate action when hazardous substances are released, mandate cleanup to residential safety standards, hold polluters financially accountable, and empower the Department of Environmental Protection to step in when responsible parties fail to act.

“It should be lost on no one why we’re here on this day and why we’re in this place,” said Senator Santarsiero. “It’s a year ago that Sunoco finally acknowledged what residents in the Mt Eyre neighborhood knew – that their pipeline which carries jet fuel through the neighborhood had been leaking.

“We’re here at this place just a couple miles away from where that leak occurred. It’s important that we’re here once again to show the people of the Mt Eyre neighborhood that we care, that we’ve got your back, and that we’re fighting for you.

“But most importantly, we’re here for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania so this situation will not be allowed to happen again… At the end of the day, we need to make sure Pennsylvania law makes clean up mandatory, that the state can act immediately, and that the polluter, not the taxpayer, pays for these efforts. That’s exactly what Pennsylvania ECRA would do.”

ECRA will be formally introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate as SB 1157 and a companion bill will be introduced by Representative Perry Warren in the House as HB 2178.

“If this spill had occurred two miles away, it might be a different story,” said Rep Warren. “If there were a contemporaneous leak in the other Washington Crossing it would be potentially, a tale of two Washington Crossings – one governed by the New Jersey Spill Act and one in which there’s very little legislation here. The objective of this legislation is to make sure there’s a uniform cleanup act on both sides of the river.”

Ben Weldon, Chair of the Upper Makefield Township Board of Supervisors, emphasized the local impact of the spill and the need for stronger state authority to protect communities.

“Imagine living each day with the fear that the water your family drinks, bathes in, and cooks with may be poisoned,” said Chair Ben Weldon. “Families here have to constantly worry about the water they drink, the air they breathe, and the soil beneath their feet… We know private corporations prioritize their bottom line. They will rarely do more than the minimum required by law. That is why we need stronger laws – and a DEP empowered to hold polluters accountable.”

Senator Santarsiero explained that ECRA will focus on civil actions and that criminal actions fall under the purview of the county District Attorney and state Attorney General.

Here in Bucks County, Joe Khan has taken office as the new District Attorney and discussed how his office is working with the state Attorney General on this case and is building out new resources to help protect environmental rights in Bucks County.

“Just a few weeks ago, I took the oath of office to uphold and defend the Pennsylvania Constitution which guarantees certain environmental rights,” said Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan. “The right to pure water is not a privilege, it is a right that everyone in Pennsylvania has. As District Attorney, it is my job to enforce those rights for the people here in Bucks County… I’m here today to make right what went wrong before.

“The people of the Mt. Eyre neighborhood should not have had to wait a year for their district attorney to come here in person and to say, ‘we have your back’. We’re with you, we’re not going anywhere, and we will do whatever we can, with whatever power we do have to get justice for you and your neighbors.”

A resident from the Mt. Eyre area, where the spill occurred, also spoke about the disruption and anxiety caused by the contamination and the importance of clear, enforceable cleanup standards.

“It has been 863 days since we first reported the smell of fuel in our water to Sunoco via their emergency line,” said resident Kristine Wojnovich. “498 days after we reported the smell on January 31, 2025, Sunoco finally acknowledged the source of the contamination as being a leak from their pipeline.

“A year since the leak was identified, our well is still contaminated. On behalf of our neighborhood task force, we greatly appreciate any legislation that will accelerate the speed of which pipeline leaks are identified and that requires spills to be completely cleaned up.”

Under current law, cleanup obligations in many spill situations are largely voluntary, there are no enforceable deadlines for remediation, and DEP lacks explicit authority to take over a cleanup and recover costs later.

ECRA addresses these shortcomings by establishing clear requirements, enforceable timelines, and a strong accountability framework that ensures polluters, not taxpayers, pay for cleanup.

The legislation is modeled in part on New Jersey’s Spill Act, widely regarded as one of the strongest spill-response laws in the country, and is intended to restore public confidence that Pennsylvania can respond decisively when environmental emergencies threaten public health.

Click Here for summary of legislation.

Click Here for a copy of the announcement.

Click Here for a video of announcement.

NewsClips:

-- WHYY: PA Lawmakers Push For New Cleanup Law, A Year After Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Rupture In Upper Makefield Twp., Bucks County

-- Courier Times: Cong. Fitzpatrick, Officials Still Seek Answers To Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Rupture In Upper Makefield Twp. Bucks County A Year Later [PDF of Article]

-- Courier Times: PA State Attorney General Investigates Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leaks For Potential Environmental Crimes In Bucks County [Convicted Of Other Criminal Charges, Penalized Over $48.1 Million For Pipeline Violations So Far] [3.16.25]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard- January 3 to 30 [PaEN]

-- DEP: Day 455 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Owner Of At Least 43 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Issued Violations For 6 More On State Game Lands In Venango County; Efforts To Locate The Owner Have Been Unsuccessful [PaEN]

-- DEP: Eureka Resources Has Until Jan. 31 To Remove All Wastewater From Its 3 Closed Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Plants; About 1.5 Million Gallons Of Wastewater Remains In Bradford County Facility [PaEN]