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West Chester Area School District Seeks to Intervene in Sunoco Pipeline Complaint
The West Chester Area School District is taking another step regarding the ongoing concerns over safety protocols surrounding Sunoco's Mariner 2 East Pipeline. At Monday's school board meeting, the Board of Directors approved a resolution authorizing the District's solicitor to intervene in a complaint filed against Sunoco before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) on November 19, 2018, by Meghan Flynn. The suit essentially requests an order directing Sunoco to cease all pipeline installation. Three other school districts - Downingtown Area, Rose Tree Media, Twin Valley - and three municipalities - East Goshen, West Goshen, and West Whiteland - have also intervened in the Flynn litigation.
Not all of the interveners in the suit are focusing on the complete shut down of the pipeline, but rather the implementation of more safety measures. The lack of safety measures taken by Sunoco is the primary area of concern for the West Chester Area School District.
"The Board has concerns about safety precautions which have not been addressed by the developer of the Mariner II East Pipeline," said West Chester Area School District Board President Chris McCune. "For three years, our administration has written letters communicating our concerns. It's now time to escalate our engagement.
West Chester Area School District Superintendent, Dr. Jim Scanlon, has been very vocal about his concerns regarding the Sunoco Mariner 2 East Pipeline, which runs within 3,000 feet of four District schools or buildings. Two other District schools or buildings are within 6,000 feet of the pipeline. Dr. Scanlon has written multiple letters to representatives of Sunoco, the Secretary of the PUC, the governor, and other state legislators regarding safety concerns and security measures being taken to ensure the safety of the students attending schools along the path of the pipeline. The answers he received have not been satisfactory according to Dr. Scanlon and school board directors, prompting the resolution to intervene.
If the intervention is granted by the PUC, the District will be able to testify in any hearings regarding safety concerns surrounding the Mariner 2 East Pipeline.
All correspondence between the West Chester Area School District and involved parties regarding the pipeline can be accessed on the District's website, www.wcasd.net.