Last week MDN reported the news that the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has suspended all construction work on the Mariner East 2 Pipeline (ME2) project until further notice (see PA DEP Caves to Big Green Pressure, Stops All Work on ME2 Pipeline). However, all doesn’t necessarily mean all. A Chester County, PA anti’s celebration of the stop work order came crashing down when she noticed that work was still happening in an area located near her home. How can this be?! It seems the DEP’s statement that “all construction must stop” means “all construction which the DEP permits and authorizes must stop,” which can be further defined as “anything that disturbs the ground.” If the work involves digging, shoveling, etc., it’s stopped. But there’s still plenty of work that can continue–work that is not permitted by the DEP, including welding pipes together. That’s what’s happening at the site in Chester County–and local antis desperate to stop ME2 are mad and discouraged that Sunoco Logistics Partners continues to keep at least some of their workers busy while the company works to get full construction activity restored…
