Energy Transfer, L.P. has agreed to pay over $10 million in restitution after two of its subsidiaries were convicted of criminal conduct related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline and Revolution Pipeline.
A Grand Jury found that Sunoco Pipeline L.P. repeatedly allowed thousands of gallons of drilling fluid to escape underground during the Mariner East 2 Pipeline construction. Drilling fluid containing unapproved additives surfaced in multiple locations, including fields, backyards, streams, lakes, and wetlands— potentially impacting the drinking water. Sunoco Pipeline L.P. then failed to report fluid losses to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), despite being legally required to.
“This has been a long time coming. My husband and I have suffered due to the contamination of our water by this pipeline construction. Water is the most important thing to a homeowner and when they began drilling, our only ask was to promise we would continue to have clean water. Five years later, we still have a water buffalo on our property – forcing us to carry buckets of water into our home, to our gardens, and to our horses– multiple times a day. As a retired couple, we never expected to be spending our time and energy carting around water because a company destroyed our supply. Our hope is that this plea will finally get us the permanent solution to our water woes. If this plea could restore our clean water supply, it would be a step in the right direction — this is all we have ever wanted,” said homeowner Alice Mioduski of New Alexandria, PA.
A Grand Jury found that ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC (ETC), a subsidiary of Energy Transfer, repeatedly ignored environmental protocols and custom plans created to minimize erosion during the construction of the Revolution Pipeline. A lack of erosion control devices contributed to two landslides and a subsequent explosion after gas escaped from a separated section of the pipeline.
Energy Transfer must restore or replace private water supplies impacted by the construction of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline based on the advice of an independent geologist. Energy Transfer must also pay $10 million to improve the water sources along the pipelines.
“The plea agreement entered into today by Energy Transfer is a huge win for the people of Delaware County. I want to thank Attorney General Shapiro for leading this joint investigation and his tireless efforts to bring this powerful corporation to justice for the damage it did to our communities, our residents, and our environment,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz and Senior Deputy Attorney General Courtney Butterfield are prosecuting these cases.
See the Criminal Conviction Fact Sheet.
