Clean Air Council Challenges Waivers Issued to Energy Transfer to Work During Pandemic

(PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 2, 2020) On Wednesday, Clean Air Council urged the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to reconsider and partially rescind six waivers the Department issued to Energy Transfer to exempt some of its pipeline work from Governor Wolf’s March 19, 2020 order shutting down “non-life-sustaining” business in the state. In a letter addressed to the Department, the Council detailed numerous flaws with Energy Transfer’s waiver requests, focusing in particular on the lack of evidence to substantiate Energy Transfer’s claims that its continued work at pipeline sites is needed for public safety.      

All told, Energy Transfer received waivers to continue work at nine horizontal directional drilling (HDD) sites; four trench-digging sites; and two road-crossing sites for the controversial Mariner East and Revolution Pipelines.  Energy Transfer was also granted a waiver to build a new gathering pipeline, without citing safety concerns.

“The Council is deeply concerned that the granting of these waivers has created a situation that is ripe for abuse,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council, in the Council’s letter.  “Unless a true, verifiable, and urgent public safety need exists at a worksite, Energy Transfer should join the rest of Pennsylvanians in putting outdoor work on hold to prevent the spread of infection.”

Clean Air Council’s letter can be found here.  The waiver requests can be accessed here.