Pa. court says state senator can’t legally block Mariner East construction
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Earlier this week, a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Senator Andrew E. Dinniman lacks the legal standing to challenge the construction and operation of Sunoco’s contentious Mariner East pipeline system, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The court ordered the Public Utility Commission to dismiss Sen. Dinniman’s complaint, ruling lacked both personal and legislative standing to challenge the project. Furthermore, it ordered the PUC to dissolve an interim emergency injunction blocking construction of parts of the pipeline.
Dinniman, a Democrat from Chester County, has battled Sunoco Pipeline LP over its 350-mile pipeline project.
Learn more: The Philadelphia Inquirer > State senator doesn’t have legal standing to block Sunoco’s Mariner East Construction, Pa. court says
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.