PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has picked the three private companies that will handle testing for residents who think their drinking water may have been affected by the construction of the Mariner East 2 natural gas pipeline.
It’s all part of a plea agreement with Energy Transfer, the company handling Mariner East 2 pipeline construction.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz with the office's Environmental Crimes Section said during the investigation into Energy Transfer that they heard from residents who felt their drinking water had been affected.
A grand jury concluded in 2021 that the company flouted Pennsylvania environmental laws, and fouled waterways and residential water supplies across hundreds of miles, including the August 2020 drilling fluid spill at Marsh Creek Lake in Chester County. Energy Transfer pleaded no contest.
“As part of the plea agreement that we entered into with Energy Transfer, we wanted to make sure that homeowners who live along the pipeline would have the opportunity to have their water supply reviewed by independent professional geologists,” said Franz.
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“While they didn't get to say whether the project would occur or not, they certainly should have a voice in making sure that their drinking water remains safe after the project is done.”
The attorney general’s office has selected GeoServices, Meiser and Earl, and David Miller Associates to handle water testing.
Franz says they got about 700 complaints from people concerned about their water. Those companies will reach out to those residents to set up the tests. If there are any issues, Energy Transfer will be responsible for correcting them.
As part of the no-contest plea to the charges, Energy Transfer also paid $10 million to the attorney general’s office to improve watersheds and streams most affected by construction. The first round of those projects is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.