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DebraSmit,[email protected]
EnvironmentalGroups,ResidentsSeekPADEPDenialofShellPipelineCompany’sFalconPipelineApplications
TheBreatheProjectheldarallytoday,Sept.6,2018at10a.m.,onthedoorstepofthePittsburghofficesofthePennsylvaniaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectiontoasktheagencytodenyShellPipelineCompany’sapplicationfortheFalconEthanePipeline.
Shell’spermitproposestheconstructionofa97-milepipelinethatwouldtransportmorethan107,000barrelsofethaneperdayacross22townshipsinOhio,WestVirginiaandPennsylvaniatoaShellAppalachiaethaneprocessingfacilityinPotterTownship,BeaverCounty,PennsylvaniainordertoproducepolyethylenepelletsforplasticproductsinmostlyAsianmarkets.
TherallyfollowedareviewofShellPipeline’s(Aug.1,2018)responsestothe101deficienciesthattheDEPfoundwithShellPipeline’soriginalFalconapplication,submittedinApril2018.DEPissuedthedeficiencynoticestoShellPipelineafterenvironmentalandresidentgroupssubmittedwrittencommentsandverbaltestimonyduringthreedaysofpublichearingsheldinAllegheny,BeaverandWashingtoncounties.
TheDEPdeficiencyletters(June1,2018)requiredmanyadditionalresponsesbyShell.TheDEPdeficiencylettersconfirmedthatShellPipelinefailedtoexecutesoundtechnicaljudgmentintheproposedroutingoftheFalconpipeline,especiallyasitpertainstosedimentationanderosioncontrolandultimatelytopublicsafetyandhealth.
“Shell’slackofattentiontotheseimportanttechnicaldetailstotheDEPshowedus,onceagain,thatShellhasnotdoneitsduediligence,”saidBobSchmetzerofCitizenstoProtecttheAmbridgeReservoir.“Shell’sstatementstotheDEParemisleading.TheAmbridgeWaterAuthorityandAmbridgeBoroughCouncilhavepublicallystatedtheirconcernregardingtheriskthispipelineposestotheregion’swatersupply,whichprovidesdrinkingwaterto40,000people.”
BasedonShell’sfailuretoadequatelyrespondtothesetechnicalconcernsandbecauseoftheconcernsraisedbybothorganizationsandcitizens,weurgetheDEPtoDENYtheFalconPipelinesedimentationanderosioncontrolpermits.
AmongthechiefconcernsexpressedduringtherallyonThursday:
• TheAmbridgeWaterAuthorityandAmbridgeBoroughCouncilhavepubliclyexpressedseriousconcernsabouttheriskpresentedbytheproposedethanepipelinethatwouldcrossthroughthehigh-quality
headwatersoftheAmbridgeReservoirandundertherawserviceline.ShellfailedtogivetheAmbridgeWaterAuthorityanyassurancesthattherewillbenorisktotheregion’swatersupplyandfalselyreportedAWA’spositiononthepipeline.
• TheDEPdeficiencylettersdirectedShellto“evaluateanddiscusstheproject’spotentialtoimpactany
publicwatersystemsandtheirsourcesthatarewithin1-mileofyourproposedpipelinesystem.”Thisincludesprivatewellsnearschools,churches,publicinstitutionsandprivatelandowners.Shellsuggestswatertruckswouldbesuppliedintheeventofdisruptionofwaterservices.LocatingtheFalconpipelinenearsourcesofdrinkingwatershouldnotbepermitted.
• Shell’sremediationofwetlandsinMercerandWashingtoncountiesisanunacceptableswapfor
destroyingpreciousconservancyareasinBeaverCounty,includingtheBeaverCountyConservationDistrict,abeautifulnaturepreservethatservesasaneducationalareaforschoolchildren.ShellhasproposedroutingtheFalconpipelinethroughthisconservationarea.
• TheDEPmustupholdthePennsylvaniaEnvironmentalRightsAmendment:Thepeoplehavearightto
cleanair,purewaterandtothepreservationofthenatural,scenic,historicandestheticvaluesoftheenvironment.Pennsylvania’spublicnaturalresourcesarethecommonpropertyofallthepeople,includinggenerationsyettocome.Astrusteeoftheseresources,theCommonwealthshallconserveandmaintainthemforthebenefitofallthepeople.–ArticleI,Section27ofthePa.stateconstitution–theEnvironmentalRightsAmendment.
“ThismarksacriticalmomentintimenotjustforSouthwesternPennsylvaniabutforpeoplebeyondourstate’sbordersinWestVirginiaandOhiowhowillbeforcedtolivewiththetoxichealthandsafetyrisksofanindustrythatwillpushourplanetovertheedgeoncarbondioxide,greenhousegasemissionsandrampantplasticcontamination,”saidMattMehalik,executivedirectoroftheBreatheProject.
AlettersignedbyorganizationsandindividualsinSouthwesternPennsylvaniawassubmittedtothePittsburghofficeoftheDEP.Acopyofthesign-onletterisattached.
Citizens to Protect the Ambridge Reservoir
