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The PA Pipeline Project (PPP)/Mariner East II is an expansion of the existing Sunoco Mariner East pipeline system. Sunoco recently upgraded its existing Mariner East I pipeline to transport natural gas liquids from Ohio and the Pittsburgh area to its Marcus Hook Facility in Delaware County. More than 80% of the PPP will follow the same pipeline corridor as Mariner East I. The pipeline will traverse 17 counties in the southern tier of Pennsylvania.

Below is information on DEP's review and approval of the permit applications and other useful project information. The material is presented here to enable the public to readily review the application material, noted technical deficiencies and the company's responses to the technical deficiencies. The other material on this web page represents other documents associated with this project that the Department has received.

Additional documents, such as additional correspondence and emails between the DEP and the Applicant, may be in DEP files maintained at that regional office in which a given portion of the project is located. Persons wishing to review the entire file for this application should schedule a file review with the appropriate regional office (i.e. Southwest, South-Central or Southeast).

PPP/Mariner East II Project Overview Information

This information sheet provides a summary of the project and current status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Marsh Creek Lake – HDD 290

Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty (CACP)

On July 6, 2023, Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. entered into two recent CACPs with the Department, agreeing to pay $660,000.00 to resolve civil penalty liability for the violations set out in the documents. Links to both fully executed civil penalty agreements are included below.

Chapter 102, Erosion & Sediment Control Permit Renewals and Partial Notices of Termination

As noted below, during DEP’s review of the Partial Notice of Termination (NOT) forms and the Chapter 102 E&S Permit Renewal Applications, Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. has voluntarily withdrawn and submitted revised NOT forms with updated plans to accurately reflect the most current field conditions. Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. has also submitted revised permit renewal applications with updated plans to be consistent with the revised Partial NOT forms.

DEP’s review is ongoing for the Partial Notice of Termination (NOT) forms and the Chapter 102 E&S Permit Renewal Applications submitted by Sunoco Pipeline, L.P.

On June 20, 2023 and July 7, 2023, DEP received revised Partial NOT#3 forms with cover letters from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following previously issued E&S permits and corresponding counties.

  • ESG0500015001 – Revised Partial NOT#3 - Counties: Cambria, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 – Revised Partial NOT#3 - Counties: Huntingdon, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair, Cumberland and Dauphin (PDF)
  • ESG0100015001 – Revised Partial NOT#3 - Counties: Delaware and Chester (PDF)

In May and June 2023, DEP issued Partial NOT#1 and Partial NOT#2 approvals to Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following previously issued E&S permits and corresponding counties.

  • ESG0500015001 – May 3, 2023 Partial NOT#1 Approval Letter for Counties: Washington, Allegheny, Cambria, Indiana and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0500015001 – June 8, 2023 Partial NOT#2 Approval Letter for Counties: Cambria, Indiana and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 - June 2, 2023 Partial NOT#1 & Partial NOT#2 Approval Letters for Counties: Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair, Cumberland and Dauphin

On September 2, 2022, DEP received revised Partial NOT#2 forms with cover letters from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following previously issued E&S permits and corresponding counties.

  • ESG0500015001 – Revised Partial NOT#2 - Counties: Cambria, Indiana and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 – Revised Partial NOT#2 - Counties: Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair and Cumberland (PDF)
  • ESG0100015001 – Revised Partial NOT#2 - Counties: Delaware and Chester (PDF)

On March 4, 2022 and March 21, 2022, DEP received the following revised Chapter 102, Erosion and Sediment Control Individual Permit renewal applications with cover letters and updated plans from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P.

  • ESG0500015001 – Complete Renewal Application: Cambria, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 – Complete Renewal Application: Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair, Cumberland and Dauphin (PDF)
  • ESG0100015001 – Complete Renewal Application: Delaware and Chester (PDF)

On March 4, 2022, DEP received revised Partial Notice of Termination (NOT) forms with cover letters from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following previously issued E&S permits and corresponding counties.

  • ESG0500015001 – Revised Partial NOT - Counties: Allegheny, Cambria, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 – Revised Partial NOT - Counties: Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair, Cumberland and Dauphin (PDF)
  • ESG0100015001 – Revised Partial NOT - Counties: Delaware and Chester (PDF)

On March 2, 2022, DEP received withdrawal letters for the Partial Notice of Termination (NOT) forms from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following previously issued E&S permits and corresponding counties.

  • ESG0500015001 – Withdrawal Letter - Counties: Cambria, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland (PDF)
  • ESG0300015002 – Withdrawal Letter - Counties: Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Berks, Blair, Cumberland and Dauphin (PDF)
  • ESG0100015001 – Withdrawal Letter - Counties: Delaware and Chester (PDF)

On January 26, 2022, DEP provided a clarification letter to Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. in regards to the administrative extension of Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment Control Individual Permits consistent with Condition No. 4 of Permits ESG0500015001, ESG0300015002, and ESG0100015001 and the related minor modification that was granted on August 6, 2021.

On December 11, 2021, DEP provided notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Chapter 102, Erosion and Sediment Control Individual Permit renewals were under review for Sunoco Pipeline, L.P.'s PA Pipeline Project (PPP)/Mariner East II. DEP is accepting written comments for 45-days on the permit renewal applications. Please note that these renewal applications do not include any proposals for new work. They merely request to extend the permit term in areas where work remains or where soil stabilization is still underway.

On November 23, 2021, DEP sent the following completeness letters to Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for its Chapter 102 permit renewal applications.  

On November 16, 2021, DEP received Partial Notice of Termination (NOT) forms from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the following counties pertaining to the issued E&S Permits.

On November 10, 2021, DEP received updated General Information Forms (GIFs) from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for the permit renewals submitted on October 28, 2021.

On October 28, 2021, DEP received the following Chapter 102, Erosion and Sediment Control Individual Permit renewal applications from Sunoco Pipeline, L.P.  Please note that these renewal applications do not include any proposals for new work.  They merely request to extend the permit term in areas where work remains or where soil stabilization is still underway. 

Compliance and Enforcement Information

Administrative Order

On September 11, 2020, DEP ordered Sunoco to reroute its planned pipeline route, and further assess, investigate, and restore resources impacted by Mariner East II pipeline installation activities at HDD 290 in Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County.

Resolution of Appeals

On August 27, 2020, DEP received a letter from Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc., on behalf of Sunoco Pipeline, LP, for modifications and enhancements to mitigation and containment measures for HDD S3-0360-16, located in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. On August 28, 2020, DEP reviewed and approved Sunoco’s proposal and the Environmental Hearing Board signed a Stipulation for Settlement and Order for HDD S3-0360-16.

On July 25, 2018 the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Clean Air Council (CAC), Mountain Watershed Association (MWA), and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) settled their appeal of 20 permits issued to Sunoco Pipeline, LLP (Sunoco) for the Mariner East 2 pipeline project.

Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty

On August 5, 2021, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty (CACP) with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline in four Pennsylvania counties: Blair, Cumberland, Juniata, and Lebanon. The violations took place between February and August 2020.

As part of the agreement, DEP has assessed a civil penalty of $85,666 for the violations, which Sunoco has agreed to pay to the commonwealth. A portion of the civil penalty, $1,166, will be paid to the county conservation districts to reimburse them for their costs incurred during their investigation of the inadvertent returns. The remaining penalty, $84,500, will be paid to the state’s Clean Water Fund. In addition to the penalty paid to the commonwealth and the county conservation districts, Sunoco will also pay a penalty of $12,424 to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

On July 26, 2021, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for $41,039 for several incidents arising from Mariner East II pipeline construction in Delaware County over the course of 2018-20 including: (1) twice breaking a sewer lateral to a facility in Aston Township resulting in the unpermitted discharge of sewage, and failing to notify the Department; (2) flushing 30 gallons of drilling mud out of a drill pit in Edgmont Township, with 5 gallons going into Chester Creek; (3) discharging drilling fluids into an unnamed tributary (UNT) to Chester Creek in Edgmont Township when SPLP personnel fell asleep and failed to operate pumps; (4) discharging sediment laden water in Edgmont Township into a wetland and an UNT to Chester Creek after a rainfall event and during pipe pullback; and (5) discharging concrete-washout material from a grout truck onto a rock construction entrance in Edgmont Township.

On August 4, 2020, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty (CACP) with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline in eight Pennsylvania counties: Berks, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Delaware, Lebanon, Washington, and Westmoreland. The violations took place between August 2018 and April 2019. As part of the agreement, DEP has assessed a civil penalty of $355,636 for the violations, which Sunoco has agreed to pay to the Commonwealth. A portion of the civil penalty, $5,912, will be paid to the county conservation districts to reimburse them for their costs incurred during their investigation of the inadvertent returns. The remaining penalty, $349,724, will be paid to the Clean Water Fund.

On August 21, 2019, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. Sunoco’s construction activities resulted in accelerated erosion and sedimentation in Cumberland County in violation of its permits and the Clean Streams Law.

On August 20, 2019, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations of its permits and the Clean Streams Law resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project and the Clean Streams Law. Sunoco’s construction activities resulted in unauthorized discharge of drilling fluids to surface waters associated with horizontal drilling activities, also known as inadvertent returns, in Berks, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Delaware, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Perry, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.

On August 2, 2018, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. Sunoco's construction activities resulted in impacts to water supplies in Chester, Berks and Lebanon Counties in violation of its permits and the Clean Streams Law. In each instance, Sunoco was required to address those impacts to the satisfaction of the water supply's owner, including replacement or restoration of the impacted water supply. In Chester County, Sunoco also failed to immediately notify DEP of the adverse impacts to the private water supplies.

On April 27, 2018, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline LP for violations resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. Sunoco's construction activities resulted in an unpermitted discharge of drilling fluids to wetlands, wild trout streams, and High-Quality Waters at a number of locations in Allegheny, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Dauphin, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lancaster, and Washington Counties in violation of its permits and the Clean Streams Law. In each instance, Sunoco was required to halt operations, remediate the impacts, and submit proposed modifications to its construction methodologies to DEP for approval. Sunoco was allowed to resume operations only after DEP reviewed and approved Sunoco's proposed modifications. This penalty is in addition to the $12.6 million penalty levied against the company in February and covers separate violations.

On December 21, 2017, DEP entered into a Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty with Sunoco Pipeline, LP for violations resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. Sunoco's construction activities resulted in accelerated erosion and sedimentation at three sites in Lebanon County in violation of its permits and the Clean Streams Law. In each instance, Sunoco was required to install appropriate measures to effectively minimize the erosion and sedimentation issues at those sites.

Resolution of Petition for Supersedas

On April 16, 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reached an agreement with the Clean Air Council, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and the Mountain Watershed Association, Inc. and Sunoco to resolve a petition for supersedeas filed before the Environmental Hearing Board.

That agreement can be viewed here

Below are the following Exhibits:

  • Exhibit 1 - The April 2018 Inadvertent Return (IR) Assessment, Preparedness, Prevention and Contingency (PPC) Plan
  • Exhibit 2 - A red line comparison of the February 6, 2018 version of the IR PPC Plan to the April 2018 HDD IR Plan
  • Exhibit 3 - A red line comparison of the August 8, 2017 version of the IR PPC Plan to the April 2018 HDD IR Plan

Statement of Settlement of Suspension of Construction Activities

On February 8, 2018, DEP and Sunoco reached an agreement to lift the January 3, 2018 order suspending permits for the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. The Consent Order and Agreement includes a civil penalty of $12.6 million and resolves violations outlined in the January 3 order, as well as others discovered in the course of DEP's review. The COA and supporting documents is below, along with a breakdown of Sunoco's required actions under the January 3 order.

Statement on Settlement of Suspension of Drilling:

On August 9, 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reached an agreement with the Clean Air Council, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and the Mountain Watershed Association, Inc. and Sunoco to resolve the temporary suspension of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) activity associated with construction of the ME2 pipeline being built by Sunoco, LP.

That agreement can be viewed here (PDF).

As part of the agreement reflected in the Environmental Hearing Board Stipulated Order dated August 9, 2017, Sunoco made revisions to some of the plans associated with the project, which are provided below:

Under the agreement, Sunoco will notify all landowners and water supply owners within 450 feet of future HDDs and provide additional opportunities for water testing for those owners. Sunoco will also reevaluate at least 63 areas where HDD activity will take place. The reevaluations will include site-specific geologic data for each location. The reevaluation reports will be posted to this webpage as they are received.

HDD Reevaluation Reports

As part of the August 9, 2017 Environmental Hearing Board Stipulated Order, Sunoco is to provide DEP for review supplemental HDD Analysis. The HDD Reevaluation Table represents the supplemental information that DEP has received to date.

Public comments can be submitted within 14 calendar days from the date each HDD study has been posted on the table by sending an email to EP-Pipelines.

To view details of each HDD study and public comments, visit the HDD Reevaluation Table. Each public comment is listed with the identifying Commentator ID number at the end of the comment.

Consent Order and Agreements:

Inadvertent Returns:

The following spreadsheets detail the inadvertent returns and the status of the incident for construction related to the Mariner East 2 pipeline. This information will be updated regularly.

Accordion


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