Gov. Tom Wolf and other elected officials offered their praise, as the culmination of Sunoco Logistics’ Mariner East 1 project recently resulted in the first shipment of Marcellus Shale ethane from Western Pennsylvania to Europe via Marcus Hook.
“The opening of the Mariner East pipeline represents a vital first step in redirecting Pennsylvania’s abundant natural gas liquids to critical markets here at home,” Wolf said, according to a report in the Daily Times by business writer Kathleen Carey. “Sunoco Logistics is making a $3 billion investment in Pennsylvania’s energy economy by keeping Marcellus Shale resources for manufacturing right here in Pennsylvania, rather than sending this business, revenue, and jobs to other states.”
Wolf said that 290-440 permanent jobs were created as a result of the operation, and further added that the long-term impact from the pipeline is an estimated $150 million influx into the state’s economy.
“Connecting Delaware County to western Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale development will help grow our Commonwealth’s economy and support good-paying jobs for many Pennsylvanians,” said U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. “It also is an important step towards America’s energy independence and expanding our role as a global energy exporter.”
U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., D-Pa., was similarly enthused.
“I will continue to support efforts to strengthen our economy while helping to make Delaware County an important energy hub in the United States,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-7, of Chadds Ford, said, that “fulfillment of this (Mariner East) vision goes well beyond revitalizing a critical regional asset in Marcus Hook. We are setting the stage for a stronger economic future right here in our backyard – the foundation for a manufacturing renaissance and a growing energy sector here in Delaware County.”
Trish McFarland, president of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, spoke from a more-local perspective.
“The first shipment of ethane from Marcus Hook is another example in a long tale of economic development in the region,” said McFarland. “The Delaware riverfront knows firsthand that trade and exports are a driver of economic activity, generating a $40 billion industry for our state and creating thousands of jobs.”
Click here to read more about the politicians praising the first shipment of Marcellus Shale ethane.
