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Nearly 100 people attend public hearing regarding Shell’s Falcon ethane pipeline

CENTER TWP. — Nearly 100 people turned out to a public hearing at Central Valley High School to voice their opinions on Shell Pipeline’s proposed Falcon ethane pipeline project.

If constructed, the pipeline would transport up to 107,000 barrels of ethane per day to Shell Chemicals’ $6 billion ethane cracker plant in Potter Township.

It would consist of two legs: one coming into western Beaver County from Ohio and West Virginia, and another coming into southern Beaver County through Allegheny County. The two legs will join south of the Potter Township plant.

Preliminary plans call for construction on the pipeline to start next year, while it won’t become operational until at least 2020.

The state Department of Environmental Protection held the hearing Tuesday night as part of its permit review process of the pipeline. The DEP will also hold similar public hearings in Allegheny and Washington counties later this week.

At the forum Tuesday night, residents showed up to voice their concerns about the proposed project, while others attended to show support for it.

A total of 23 residents spoke at the hearing, with 16 of those asking DEP to deny permits to Shell, with seven asking DEP to approve them.

One of the speakers who received loud applause from the audience was Mike Dominick, the general manager of the Ambridge Water Authority. Dominick, as he has previously, spoke about his concern that the pipeline’s projected route takes it in close proximity to the Ambridge Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to more than 30,000 people.

Dominick, who was flanked by three members of the water authority’s board as he spoke, said any potential accident or spill from the pipeline would have a “devastating effect” on the reservoir, and said DEP should “strongly consider denying” any pipeline that comes close to it.

“The Ambridge Reservoir is a cherished commodity that is not replaceable,” he said.

No Shell representative spoke at the event, but the company previously said if the pipeline is built according to current designs, it won’t come within a mile of the reservoir, and it will be constructed at least 35 feet below the raw water line that feeds into the reservoir.

Monaca resident Dave Blair echoed Dominick’s concerns about the potential effects on water in the area, and said “profit margins” for companies should never come before clean water.

“I understand such things as acceptable risks,” he said. “This is not an acceptable risk.”

Craig Stevens came all the way from Susquehanna County in central Pennsylvania to voice his opposition to the proposed pipeline. He said a pipeline was built through his property seven years ago, and it “destroyed” his land permanently.

“Tell (Shell) to take their pipeline and stick it somewhere else,” he said loudly.

The proposed pipeline wasn’t without its supporters.

Brighton Township resident Jerome Rosenberger said he watched from a neighbor’s property as the Mariner West pipeline was being built recently. Every aspect of construction he witnessed was done with care and concern, and every interaction he had with the workers was positive.

“I see no logical reason to deny this application,” Rosenberger said, noting that he has no financial ties to Shell or the project.

Another supporter was Edwin Hill, a Chippewa Township resident who said he spoke on behalf of 5,000 local workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Shell Pipeline representatives have been meeting with community members and officials for years, he said, and he is convinced that Shell is a good neighbor and is concerned about the environment.

“They are committed to being good stewards of the environment in the areas they operate,” he said.

The project also received strong support from Dave Spigelmyer, president of the Pittsburgh-based Marcellus Shale Coalition.

In his testimony, Spigelmyer said Shell Chemicals’ cracker plant is “one of many downstream opportunities” made possible by the shale gas revolution in western Pennsylvania, and the proposed Falcon pipeline is “necessary to bring product from well fields in our region to critical locations” like the Shell plant.

In addition, he mentioned that the Falcon pipeline “will be completed in accordance with all state and federal safety and construction standards” and, after it is operational, it will be monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“The Falcon Ethane Pipeline System Project will not only bring new jobs to the area, it will bring an opportunity to the Appalachian basin to be more energy secure, while adding environmental benefits,” he said.

DEP spokeswoman Lauren Fraley said Tuesday night that the agency will collect all of the public comments made at the meeting “and will consider (those) comments as part of its technical review of the permit applications.”

Those unable to attend Tuesday night’s meeting can still submit written comments to the DEP ahead of the April 17 deadline.

No timeline was given on when DEP might approve or deny Shell’s permit applications. 

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