The Governor of Pennsylvania says Texas-based Energy Transfer LP doesn’t respect his state laws so he’s halted construction permits for natural gas pipelines operated by the company.
“There has been a failure by Energy Transfer and its subsidiaries to respect our laws and our communities,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. “This is not how we strive to do business in Pennsylvania, and it will not be tolerated.”
The Department of Environmental Protection claimed Energy Transfer had not stabilized the soil and erosion around its Revolution pipeline in western Pennsylvania, as it was ordered to do in October.
As a result, it is halting construction permits on the company’s pipelines in the state, it said.
“This hold will continue until the operator corrects their violations to our satisfaction,” Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement.
He also accused Energy Transfer of failing to resolve problems related to an explosion last year. The blast destroyed one home in Beaver County along the Beaver-to-Butler County line, but the company blasted it on earth movement near the line. The state has already imposed $13 million in fines against the company and one county prosecutor is demanding documents from the firm.
Energy Transfer said it told state officials that it is committed to bringing the Revolution pipeline “into full compliance with all environmental permits and applicable regulations.”
In a statement, it said the action did not affect the operation of any of its in-service pipelines or any areas of construction where permits have already been issued.
Energy Transfer’s pipelines in Pennsylvania include the Mariner East 1, 2 and 2X natural gas liquids pipelines across southern Pennsylvania.
A DEP spokesman, Neil Shader, said permits for the 16-inch Mariner East 2X – which has yet to start operating – are now on hold.
