Pa. prosecutors delay Mariner East pipeline probe announcement
Thursday, October 7, 2021
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro abruptly canceled a planned news conference on Monday to announce criminal charges against the developer of the Mariner East 2 pipeline, which transports natural gas liquids across the southern portion of the state, according to the Associated Press.
The event was scheduled to take place in Marsh Creek State Park in Downingtown, where Sunoco Pipeline LP spilled more than 8,000 gallons of drilling fluid last year, which affected wetlands, a stream and part of a 535-acre lake.
Shapiro’s office said it had received “new information” on Monday morning, adding: “We must do our due diligence and review. We will have more to say on this shortly.”
Learn more: Pittsburgh Post Gazette > State prosecutors abruptly halt Mariner East pipeline probe announcement
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Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
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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.