DEP awards water quality-related grants funded by $12.6M penalty against Sunoco

Money will go to efforts in 14 Pa. counties

Scott Blanchard/WITF

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Marie Cusick / StateImpact Pennsylvania

Construction on the Mariner East 2 pipeline has faced myriad problems, including damaged water supplies and sinkholes in a residential neighborhood in Chester County.

October 16, 2018 | 11:35 AM

Updated: 2018-10-16 12:56:03

Scott Blanchard / StateImpact Pennsylvania

The map shows the Mariner East 2 pipeline’s path across 17 Pennsylvania counties on its way to the Marcus Hook industrial complex in Delaware County, where the natural gas liquids it carries will be shipped overseas to make plastics. The map was built using state Department of Environmental Protection shapefiles of the route for which DEP issued permits. The line extends west into Ohio.

Remember the $12.6 million penalty on Sunoco for dozens of permit violations during construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline?

The Department of Environmental Protection said at the time it would turn that penalty into grants for projects related to water quality, watershed restoration and stormwater management. The DEP just put out a list of where that money is going. Sixty-one grants were awarded to efforts in 14 of the 17 counties through which Mariner East 2 passes.

Berks County projects received the most money — $2.61 million. Efforts in Chester County, the site of vocal public opposition to the project and to problems such as construction-related sinkholes that opened in parts of West Whiteland Township, received a total of $1.87 million.

DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a news release that Sunoco is still responsible for restoring damage related to its pipeline construction.

“But it is nice that this penalty could be put directly towards other deserving improvement projects in the communities along the right-of-way,” he said.

The DEP’s penalty, issued in February for violations that occured in the past year, was among the agency’s largest ever, and came as the DEP lifted its month-long order that suspended pipeline construction related to agency-issued permits.

The grants total about $11.6 million. The other roughly $1 million goes to Environmental Education Grants and to the Clean Water Fund, said DEP spokesman Neil Shader.

The full county-by-county list of grants, from the DEP’s news release, is below.

Allegheny

Allegheny County Conservation District, $40,000 for multiple projects to reduce runoff pollution from Round Hill Park in Elizabeth Township.

Berks

Berks County Conservation District, $372,896 for a project to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff from a farm in Caernarvon Township.
American Rivers, $275,441 for removal of the Paper Mill Dam on Cacoosing Creek and riparian corridor and streambank restoration in Spring Township.
Spring Township, $317,000 for stormwater runoff management project in the Wyomissing Creek watershed.
Spring Township, $440,000 for stormwater runoff management project in the Cacoosing Creek watershed.
Caernarvon Township, $100,000 for stormwater runoff management project at the Twin Valley High School.
Birdsboro Municipal Authority, $750,000 for rehabilitation of the Indian Run Dam in Robeson Township.
Cumru Township, $118,000 for urban stormwater management.
Cumru Township, $238,115 for connecting noncommunity water systems to a public water supply.

Blair

The Trust for Tomorrow, $223,713 for restoring 4,000 feet of Halter Creek and Frankstown Branch stream in Blair Township.
The Trust for Tomorrow, $17,300 for restoring 100 linear feet of stream and 3,500 square feet of riparian buffer on Piney Creek in Woodbury Township.

Cambria

Cambria County Conservation District, $592,407 for installation of features to reduce agricultural runoff from Vale Wood Farms in Munster Township.
Washington Township, $340,000 for restoration of an abandoned mine spoil pile to reduce mine drainage into the Little Conemaugh River.

Chester

Green Valley Association of Southeastern PA, $168,212 for riparian buffers and other features to reduce agricultural runoff in East Nantmeal Township.
West Chester Area School District, $61,656 for removing invasive species and restoring natural diverse forest in Westtown Township.
West Whiteland Township, $223,325 for urban stormwater management.
West Goshen Township, $215,273 for urban stormwater management that will reduce impacts to Taylor Run.
Uwchlan Township, $117,324 for urban stormwater management that will reduce impacts to an impaired tributary to Shamona Creek.
Uwchlan Township, $123,824 for urban stormwater management that will reduce runoff pollution into a tributary of the East Branch of Brandywine Creek.
Uwchlan Township, $99,401 for urban stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution to a tributary to Valley Creek.
East Goshen Township, $350,000 for stream restoration to enhance water resources and recreation opportunities.
Wallace Township, $118,500 for managing stormwater from nearby ballfields and parking lots to reduce pollution to Brandywine Creek.
Upper Uwchlan Township, $282,432 for restoration of the Marsh Creek Watershed.
West Goshen Township, $110,142 for restoration of riparian buffer in the Chester Creek watershed.

Cumberland

Cumberland County Conservation District, $90,000 for technical assistance for farmers to plant cover crops that will reduce nutrient and sediment runoff pollution.
Middlesex Township, $631,600 for stream restoration and stormwater management to reduce pollution into Wertz Run and Hogestown Run.
Cumberland County Conservation District, $91,211 for pollution reduction from farm fields in Lower Frankford Township.
Lower Allen Township, $122,358 for improved stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into the Yellow Breeches Creek.
Lower Allen Township, $60,536 for improved stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into Cedar Run Creek.

Dauphin

Highspire Borough, $205,000 for restoring Burd Run through streambank stabilization, tree and shrub planting, and stormwater management.
Derry Township Municipal Authority, $103,000 for restoring 1,700 feet of impaired streambank.
Lower Swatara Township, $180,000 for multiple stream and streambank restoration projects near Greenfield Park and the Middletown Area Middle School.
Londonderry Township, $193,200 for restoration of Conewago Creek through riparian forest buffers, streambank stabilization, floodplain restoration, and stormwater management.

Delaware

Middletown Township, $198,472 for stormwater management, streambank restoration, and invasive species removal.
Thornbury Township, $75,864 for retrofitting a stormwater retention basin into a rain garden to help reduce stormwater runoff pollution.
Upper Chichester Township, $89,175 for stormwater management project to reduce runoff pollution and improve recreational access.
Rose Tree Media School District, $151,000 for improvements to the drinking water infrastructure at Glenwood Elementary School.
Brookhaven Borough, $110,000 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into Chester Creek and Ridley Creek.

Huntingdon

Huntingdon County Conservation District, $155,023 for reduction of agricultural runoff pollution in Shirley Township, Tell Township, Union Township, and Penn Township.

Indiana

Indiana County Conservation District, $435,293 for streambank stabilization and other improvements to reduce runoff pollution into Weir’s Run in Burrell Township.
Indiana County Conservation District, $88,152 for streambank restoration and riparian forest buffers to improve Buttermilk Falls in West Wheatfield Township.
Indiana County Conservation District, $60,877 for streambank restoration of Tom’s Run in Burrell Township.

Lancaster

Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, $140,000 for floodplain restoration in the Cocalico Creek headwaters in West Cocalico Township.

Lebanon

Lebanon Valley Conservancy, $150,774 for restoration of 2,000 linear feet of Beck Creek in West Cornwall Township.
Lebanon Valley Conservancy, $159,094 for restoration of 2,310 linear feet of Snitz Creek in Cornwall Borough.
South Annville Township, $90,000 for restoration of Bachman Run by stabilizing streambanks, planting forest buffer, and building fish habitat structures.
Borough of Cornwall, $166,400 for stormwater runoff pollution reduction in the Goosetown neighborhood.
West Cornwall Township, $241,225 for improvements to the Quentin Water System.
South Lebanon Township, $66,900 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution.
South Londonderry Township, $90,000 for installation of riparian buffers at Campbelltown Park.
South Lebanon Township, $81,600 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution.
West Cornwall Township, $69,760 for improvements to the Mt. Gretna Campmeeting Water System.

Washington

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, $99,800 for stabilization of 1,700 feet of Little Chartiers Creek in North Strabane Township, to reduce sediment runoff pollution by an estimated 300 tons per year.
Nottingham Township, $298,000 for streambank stabilization along Beagle Club Road.

Westmoreland

Derry Township, $250,000 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution to Sulfur Run.
Derry Township, $195,500 for wetland construction along Lower Saxman Run.
Rostraver Township, $327,000 for reduction of runoff pollution that is impairing Cedar Creek and Pollock Run.
Borough of Delmont, $114,500 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into Turtle Creek.
Hempfield Township Supervisors, $96,000 for stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into a tributary of Little Sewickley Creek.
Westmoreland County Conservation District, $63,270 for streambank stabilization along Turtle Creek.
Penn Township Sewage Authority, $240,000 for elimination of partially treated sewage discharges into Brush Creek.