Pipeline concerns heighten in Chesco, Delco

Residents in nine municipalities in Chester County and six in Delaware County know that Sunoco Logistics plans to run its latest pipeline project through their towns, neighborhoods, and yards.

Construction of at least one new pipeline to transport liquefied natural gas from the Marcellus Shale to Marcus Hook is scheduled to start in early 2016.

The newest phase of the energy company's Mariner East project will follow the same route as the first, an 84-year-old pipeline Sunoco Logistics repurposed to transport the gas.

But before construction can start, the company must acquire land rights in each municipality along the route. A cadre of land agents has begun visiting residents to secure rights for construction of as many as two pipelines.

They have met resistance from homeowners concerned about the safety of the new pipelines and the proximity to their houses. Residents' concerns about land rights dominated several local meetings about the pipeline plans recently.

Neighbors have been gathering to compare easement offers and discuss next steps. Offers of compensation vary by location, size of the easement, and other factors. One resident in Uwchlan Township said Sunoco Logistics offered him $9,000.

The company's spokesman said it does not publicly disclose details of potential agreements.

About 50 Chester County residents gathered in West Goshen Township on Tuesday evening to find out what they should know before signing easement agreements.

"The more people who know their rights, the harder it's going to be" for the pipeline companies, said Tom Casey, a West Goshen resident turned activist who has organized several informational meetings.

If the land agents cannot reach deals with landowners, Sunoco Logistics has said, it will consider pursuing eminent domain.

"That's really a last resort as far as we're concerned," said Jeff Shields, spokesman for Sunoco Logistics. "We'd much rather work out a fair deal with the landowner."

Chester County officials and activists are working to make sure those deals are fair for residents.

"They should definitely be checking the language very carefully as to what they are agreeing to," said Carol Stauffer, a director at the Chester County Planning Commission who oversees the county's pipeline information website.

Commission officials said they will soon update the website to include tips on negotiating easements.

Before the easement process begins, landowners should consider the impact on their property, the compensation they should receive for use of the land, and any potential impacts from the pipeline, and whether the pipeline company is willing to pursue eminent domain, the commission says.

The commission will recommend that landowners know their rights and those of pipeline operators. Further recommendations will include knowing how the land will be restored after construction, whether there will be temporary easements for staging construction equipment, and how the easements will affect the ability to use and access their land during and after construction.

Landowners also should talk to a lawyer before signing anything, said Lynda Farrell, executive director of the nonprofit Pipeline Safety Coalition.

"Our recommendation to the landowners at this point is that it's very premature for anyone to sign an easement agreement," she said.

Landowners should wait, she said, until important aspects of the project are nailed down, such as whether Sunoco Logistics will build one pipeline or two.