Sierra Club of Chester County Mailing List

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MARINER EAST PIPELINE 

What hazardous materials will flow through these pipelines?

• What happens in the event of a rupture?
• What is your escape plan?
• What legal paths are available to residents?
• Are more pipelines coming our way?

Daily Local article, StateImpact article. More at the Pipeline Cmte page.

MARINER EAST WEB SERIES - new episodes ----->>>>

READY FOR 100

Ready For 100 Chester County

Ready For 100 is a national campaign focused on driving the demand for renewable energy from the bottom up by encouraging our municipal governments (large and small) to pledge, plan and commit to a transition to renewables in all phases of energy: electricity, transportation and heat. Before it's too late.

Go to the Ready For 100 project page for details and resources for our volunteers

To join the Suburban team contact Paula Kline (kline.paula@gmail.com)

Many cities and towns across the country (please watch the video below) have already taken the pledge to get to 100% Renewables. The team has prepared this one-page flyer to help get you up to speed about this important campaign.

Oct 14, 2018

From Bernie - Pipelines

Mariner East 2 and 2X still a long way from completed. In West Whiteland Sunoco still waiting for approval from DEP to switch from HDD to open trench method. Because of difficulty of drilling through dense rock at junction of routes 352 and 3 Sunoco is asking DEP to allow them to use open trench construction instead of HDD. They may need to reroute the pipeline which will result in another approval process and a lengthy delay.

Sunoco’s 12” pipeline(now called Mariner East) which is being employed to bypass the portions of ME 2 awaiting completion is still not transporting NGLs  though the stockholders were told this would be accomplished by 9/30 due to problems with repurposing and testing.

Some portions of ME 2 already constructed have had to be dug up because of faulty welding.   Bernie

From Carol – Adelphia Gateway pipeline

Reversing the flow and changing to natural gas liquids (sound familiar) of an existing pipeline that runs south through Charlestown, through Delco to Marcus Hook. No new pipeline being put in ground, but several new valve stations are planned.

From Jim – Chapter Support for Pipelines
Patrick Gretner, the national Dirty Fuels staff person in PA is being reassigned to outside of PA. Not that he had much of a presence here anyway, but it shows that we need to make pipeline resistance organizing a priority for chapter and group volunteers. I’m pushing for a chapter review of the pipeline project landscape (there are many active just in Chester County) and look for ways to organize support for local teams. Some kind of a distributed campaign. If anyone would like to help with this, let Jim know.

From Carol – Pennsylvania’s Environment

Read full article here - http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=44767&SubjectID= for LOTS of good analysis like this nugget:

-- Air quality, in particular, continues to improve both because coal-fired power plants have been shutting down and more effective air pollution reduction measures have been put in place.  In 2008, Pennsylvania had 17 counties in nonattainment ozone pollution, in 2018 there are 5 counties all in the Southeast. There is more work to be done

From Paula – RF100/Chesco

Congratulations to East Bradford in Chester County and Haverford in Delaware County for passing resolutions!  https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2018/10/two-more-pennsylvania-townships-commit-100-percent-clean-renewable-energy

Two others nationally have passed recently – Cleveland, OH and Fort Collins, CO.

We are 12 away from our 100th resolution. Sierra Club is collecting short videos to prepare for that celebration  Link here. 

Charlestown, Tredyffrin, West Goshen, West Bradford and Schuylkill are moving closer to voting on a resolution.

There are some great resources on our website. Start at www.ReadyFor100.org/chescopa

We need to put pressure on the other WC area townships in the COG that have not yet passed. And we need to push for other regions to start energy planning efforts – like P’ville and Kennett.

From Jim – RF100

EAC presentations planned for: Uwchlan, W Pikeland, Upper Providence.

Responses are coming in for the WC RFQ for energy planning. Expect Henry and Jim to be on the team to review and summarize the responses for the COG meeting Nov 15. Best case – COG will authorize the drafting of an RFP at the Nov 15 meeting which could be approved for issue in Jan.

Chesco Leaders have been learning about opportunities for solar permitting technical assistance from DVRPC and Corp PACE status.

Paula, Jim and Jess Cadorette met with Chesco commissioners to discuss 100% RE goals, etc. resulting is a suggestion by CC commissioners to create a “Chester County Energy Advisory Board”. Crazy good, if real. Stay tuned.

Renewable Energy Expo planned for Haverford College Nov 4. (yes, this year)

There were 5 viewings of Catching The Sun in Chesco in Aug. Helping to increase the buzz and followers lists. RF100/Montco is doing the same thing in Oct.

The Dec Env Film Series film is being hosted by Sierra Club & PennFuture. Topic is Energy Future. Looking for helpers.

From Paula & Carol & Kathy – Making A Big Deal About Climate Reports

Paula suggested that we amplify the message of the recent IPCC report (press release) and the Global Change Climate Assessment Report to local officials, religious institutions and to media outlets. Have a letter writing effort and send LTEs to papers. WE ARE BEHIND in reducing our carbon footprint and the consequences are serious.

From Nathaniel – Don’t Spray Me

Don’t Spray Me has been reacting to a wet summer with high mosquito counts and spraying plans and communication issues. Now there is a (well received) proposal for preventive action (larvaciding) by WCB and better communications (see draft plan). This should be promoted to other urban areas (boroughs) in CC. Also a fundraising event on Dec 1.

From Jim – Plastics

Project to ask restaurants to not deliver plastic straws automatically with water and sodas is underway in WC. Others are encouraged to make the ask.

WC passed a resolution to “make a transition plan” to eliminate plastic bags. Looking for reference legislation.

Expect a movement to pass bag bans to heat up in early 2019. Including Narberth and Philadelphia.

SPG plastics team signup at sc.org/pa-spg. Looking for a team leader.

PA team to do research and draft a 1-pager with info is almost done.

From Jim – Political Endorsements

Endorsement season is over. The full list of area candidates endorsed by Sierra Club can be found here: https://www.sierraclub.org/pennsylvania/southeastern/endorsements-fall-2018

see full endorsement list for Pennsylvania HERE.

On Aug 19 a group of volunteers reviewed our achievements for Q2 and picked out some priorities for Q3. Nothing will happen without volunteer contributions. Join a project. Get engaged. Or start something yourself and let us know.

• Pipelines - Bernie reported that Sunoco has executed a "plan B" to minimize the impact (to Sunoco) of the delayed completion of ME2. A "12 inch pipeline" that currently carries petroleum from east to west and  runs along the same right of way as ME1 will be refitted to carry natural gas liquids. It is expected to be operational on Aug 21, just 60 days since filing with PUC and PHMSA. ME2 has just a couple areas incomplete - both in our area - and is waiting for go ahead from DEP. And yet another pipeline - Adelphi - is being proposed to run through NE Chester County to Markus Hook. Resistance organizing is just getting started.
  
  Bernie calls for everyone to attend the preliminary ME2 Risk Assessment Report on Aug 28 at Fugget Middle School.
  
  
• Plastics - Peggy reported on a project being organized by The Story Of Stuff to do a Brand Audit of plastics trash in our local waterways. Do a 5 day collection effort and then collect some data about what types, brands and source of the most prevelant types of plastic trash in each region.
  
  Peggy reported that China is seen as embracing a "circular economy" with respect to raw materials. And cutting off the flow of recyclables being sent from the US to China for processing is an indication that China is urging the US to deal with its own materials life-cycle. 
  
  Paula described the first of the fall film series will be focussed on Plastics and Renewable Energy (and the link between), with a series of short videos. Peggy added that some youth groups at the Power Towards A Just Future Parade crafted some fashion statements using plastic trash. Very eye catching.
  
  Jim described the emerging Sierra Club PA Chapter Plastics Distributed Campaign starting to come together. 3 committees or task groups will be working on Education (public ed about plastics issues and opportunities), Research (solutions) and Policy (making recommendations for how the chapter can help local initiatives). At the meeting, it was suggested that this campaign also needs to address Legislation (what municipal or state gov action can be taken or avoided) and Action (compile a list of local action groups in PA that people can join).
  
  
• Ready For 100 - Paula that RF100/Chester County is hosting 5 viewings of "Catching The Sun" film about real opportunities and moral obligations to transition to renewable energy. The intent is to inspire local (township) volunteers to talk about taking local action.
  
  The Fall Film Series held at WCU and co-hosted by the Chester County Environmental Alliance lineup is set. The Sep 7 event will be a seris of shorts related to: climate change, renewable energy and plastics. We are looking for organizers to table and/or be introduced to attract new volunteers and take action with their projects or next actions.
  
  Paula also reported that she and Jim will be meeting with Jessica Cadorette to discuss opportunities and strategies for collaborating on 100% renewable energy initiatives in Chester County.
  
  Jim reported on the effort to draft RFPs for energy planning for a single municipality, a region and for muni electricity. On Sep 6 we will be presenting to the West Chester Area Council Of Governments about a regional planning RFQ. We have done some groundwork to distribute the RFQ and a cover letter to the effected township managers and COG representatives. Several townships and regional planning commissions are monitoring this effort.
  
  
• Open Space Preservation - Ken reported about a recent fundraising event at (the former) Chadds Peak Ski Area in Chadds Ford where over $7,000 was raised for Neighbors of Crebilly Farm - who was recently named "intervever" status in the suite between Toll Bros and Westtown Twp to develop at the farm. Westtown is also considering a municipal bond for open space.
  
  We talked about organizing another Paint Chester County event at Galer Winery in the spring of 2019 - or later. Ken and Peggy  will explore.
  
  We also talked about doing the West Chester Gallery Walk in the fall (Oct 5) with env themed art. But the point was made that this is an election year ...
  
  
• Marine Cleanups - Carol reported on the effectiveness of using SC digital tools to for the Heinz Refuge Cleanup last year which has turned into a way to connect with people that are interested with doing cleanups and concerned about plastic pollution in general. Jim suggested that we need to do more "digital campaign strategizing" by doing more than just promoting the next event - we need to plan a sequence of digital actions using multiple media to foster organizing and effective action. Jim will be meeting with each team leader to discuss plans for doing emailings/fb posting/blog posts/LTEs/AddUps and more.
  
  
• Outings - Carol and Peggy talked about organizing some creek cleanups, or joining with other orgs, in Chester County. Stay tuned, or contact Carol to help.
  
  
• Political - Jim reported on the status of the endorsement process in SPG and Chester County. We have 36 candidates currently endorsed. 7 in Chester County (1 US Congress, 6 PA House). We have a few more in the pipeline, putting our total list at close to 40 for the region. Now, as we get into campaign support season, we need to start organizing volunteers and supporting actions for the next 2 months. There will be some organizing help coming from national and chapter staff, but the details are not yet available - which races or what capacity. Stay tuned for invitations for campaign support.
  
  
• Spraying - Jim and Paula reported on the Don't Spray Me emergency action at last week's WC Borough Council meetings to suspend the counties plans to spray for mosquitoes in the borough. And propose an ordinance preventing the county from spraying in the borough without express permission from Borough Council.
  
  
• Biogas - Carol reported on attending a biogas BBQ in Nantmeal to showcase small gas digesters for residential or small farm use. There are challenges at this small scale.
  
  

If you want to join the fun and make a difference, contact Jim at jim.wylie@verizon.net