I write to oppose the granting of any waivers for the Mariner East pipeline construction during this pandemic shutdown. This request is out of concern for Pennsylvania residents, our Commonwealth’s first priority. These dangerous pipelines, transporting NGLs abroad for plastic production, are not ‘life sustaining’ but indeed life threatening. At any time,construction of these pipelines poses personal threats, physical and emotional, to our families and communities on multiple levels. During the pandemic, these concerns are only heightened. I also maintain that the initial waivers for continued construction were inappropriately granted, circumventing the prescribed route and based on false information.
Thank you, Governor Wolf, for your strong leadership during this pandemic. No doubt your early and decisive action has saved lives. Your dedication for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of Pennsylvania needs to extend to cessation of construction of Mariner East pipeline construction, without any waivers, during this most unusual pandemic period of history. There is NO clear safety logic to support these waivers, much less any valid reason the granting of waivers to this industry. That action of exceptional treatment in granting waivers puts the priorities of the highest office in the Commonwealth in question and exposes PA residents to unnecessary risks.