The bill also gives the Department of Environmental Protection additional authority to respond to these emergencies.
The legislation is in response to an Energy Transfer/Sunoco jet fuel pipeline rupture in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County that contaminated water wells in a residential neighborhood. Read more here.
Sen. Santarsiero said when he and Rep. Perry Warren (D-Bucks) announced the legislation January 30-- “Almost exactly one year ago, in a residential neighborhood in Washington Crossing (Upper Makefield Township) in Bucks County, a leak of jet fuel from a pipeline that runs from Delaware County to Newark, New Jersey, shattered a sense of safety and well-being that residents had taken for granted.
“Since the operator of the pipeline first acknowledged the spill, response efforts have moved at a seeming glacial pace. The experience has exposed how inadequate current Pennsylvania law is in addressing such spills in non-industrial areas,” said Sen. Santarsiero.
Senate Bill 1157 would--
-- Require immediate action when hazardous substances are released, including mandatory containment, investigation, and cleanup;
-- Hold polluters accountable through strict, joint-and-several liability, ensuring responsible parties - not taxpayers - pay for cleanup;
-- Guarantee residential protection, requiring cleanup to standards suitable for unrestricted residential use, including protection of drinking water, soil, and air quality;
-- Empower DEP to act decisively, including taking over the cleanup when responsible parties fail to comply, or immediate action is needed;
-- Create enforceable timelines so communities are not left waiting indefinitely for answers or action;
-- Strengthen funding and accountability, directing penalties and recoveries into the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund to support response efforts; and
-- Ensure transparency, by requiring DEP to establish a public information portal so residents can track cleanup progress, understand risks, and receive timely updates.
“No Pennsylvanian should have to wonder whether their drinking water is safe while the state and polluters debate process. When a spill occurs in a residential community, the law should be clear: cleanup is mandatory; the state can act immediately; and the polluter—not the taxpayer – pays,” said Sen. Santarsiero.
Click Here for a summary of the legislation.
Click Here for the announcement of the legislation.
Visit DEP’ Upper Makefield Pipeline Release webpage for information on DEP’s response.
The legislation was referred to the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action.
Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov. Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5709 or sending email to: senatorcomitta@pasenate.com.
(Map: Spill investigation area for the Energy Transfer/Sunoco pipeline rupture.)
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard- February 21 to 27 [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 28 [PaEN]
-- DEP Publishes Corrected Notice Of Shell Petrochemical Plant Air Quality Plan Approval March 19 Meeting, April 7 Hearing In Beaver County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 72 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 28 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For CDE Acquisitions, LLC 412 Acre, 6 Building, 5 Million Square Foot A.I. Data Center Campus In South Whitehall Twp., Lehigh County [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets March 31 Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The BASF Corp Monaca Plant In Beaver County [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- House Energy Committee Meets March 2 On A.I. Data Center Disclosure, Model Ordinance Bills; Sets Hearings On Net Metering; Virtual Power Plants; Geothermal Energy; Transmission Line Tech [PaEN]
-- Senate DEP Budget Hearing: Kudos To DEP For Improving Permit Review Times; A.I. Data Centers; Due Process For ICE Warehouse Detention Centers; How Energy Storage Can Add Capacity To The Grid; Chesapeake Bay Cleanup [PaEN]
-- DEP Budget Testimony: Our Mission Is To Protect Our Air, Land And Water, It Takes Capacity And Resources, And This Budget Proposal Supports That Mission [PaEN]
-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Supervisor Cindy Fisher - How Cecil Township Adopted 2,500 Foot Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads With Extensive Public Involvement Facing Threats And Intimidation [PaEN]
-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Dr. Lauren Minsky - People’s Cancer Incidence Screening Tool Reports Cancer Rates In Washington County Up To 16 Times Higher Than PA Averages [PaEN]
-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing I: Penn State Professor Testifies In Support Of A Ban On The Disposal Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping [PaEN]
-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing II: Studies By Ohio State Agencies Document Environmental, Health Hazards Of Disposing Of Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping [PaEN]
-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing III: Ohio Farmers Union Supports Ban On Disposal Of Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping To Protect Soil, Livestock, Farm Products From Contamination [PaEN]
-- DEP: S R Star O&G LLC Violates Order To Plug 11 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Butler County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Bids On Plugging 11 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Howe Twp., Forest County
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2025 PA Natural Gas Production Up 5.1% Over 2024; Average Natural Gas Prices Up 70.9% From 2024 [PaEN]
-- The Derrick: Aqua Pennsylvania Boil Water Advisory Remains In Effect For Venango Water Company Customers In Reno, Venango County Since Feb. 14 [Water System Impacted By 2023 Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill] [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- TribLive - Jack Troy: 71% Natural Gas Price Increase In PA Could Mean Higher Utility Bills
-- Erie Times: Natural Gas Pipeline Company Wood Group USA Removes $18.9 Million In Liens On Erie County Property Owners In Dispute
-- PennLive Guest Essay: Steelton Natural Gas Pipe Factory To Benefit Entire Commonwealth - By Jim Snell, Steamfitters Local Union 420
[Posted: February 28, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
No comments:
Post a Comment