A study meant to alleviate the fears surrounding the Mariner 2 pipeline being constructed by Newtown Square’s Sunoco Logistics is getting enormous support from Middletown residents, writes Leslie Krowchenko for The Daily Times.

More than 60 township residents attended a council meeting on Jan. 10 to show their support for the approval of a quantitative risk assessment on the proposed Sunoco Logistics Mariner 2 pipeline ahead of a Jan. 23 vote.

The necessary easements and rights-of-way for the pipeline project were approved by the council in September. The township was paid $1.8 million for the use of municipal land, with $100,000 of that allocated for assessment and emergency response plans.

Since then, the pipeline safety advisory committee and members of council have met several times to establish the goals of the assessment.

The main objective of the QRA would be to define specific emergencies that could happen as a result of a leak, including potential impact areas, determining evacuation zones, and event timing.

The results would then be integrated into developing a credible emergency plan to help first responders and the general public prepare for evacuation. The information from the planned QRA will also be used in seminars.

Read more about the study in The Daily Times by clicking here.