John Mack Newtown

Sunoco Submits Plan for Jet Fuel Pipeline Leak

When a high-pressure industrial artery fails in the heart of a residential neighborhood, the distance between corporate "Remedial Action Plans" and actual community safety can feel dangerously wide. In the Mt. Eyre neighborhood of Upper Makefield Township, the fallout from the Twin Oaks-Newark 14" Diameter Pipeline Release is currently being managed through a document admittedly based on site knowledge at a single point in time. Bridging this gap requires moving past bureaucratic jargon to understand that what Sunoco calls a plan is actually a shifting, incomplete proposal that demands active public scrutiny.

The Fluidity of Recovery

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The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) recently submitted by Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. (SPLP) to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection serves as the initial corporate opening in a long-term recovery process, rather than a final decree. This document is far from a static resolution; it is an admission of ongoing uncertainty. By Sunoco’s own acknowledgment, the plan is:

"based on the site knowledge at the time of its submission, and is subject to revision as additional characterization, monitoring, and pathway investigation is performed."

This inherent "procedural fluidity" is both a challenge and a significant opportunity for the residents of Bucks County. While the lack of immediate finality may be unsettling, it creates a critical tactical opening: because the plan is "subject to revision," it is not yet set in stone. This is the precise moment where public pressure can force SPLP to expand its "additional characterization" and implement more rigorous monitoring protocols before the document is finalized.

Can it Happen Here in Newtown?

This 70 year-old pipeline runs through Newtown Township as shown by the blue line in the map below:

At the 12 March 2025 Newtown BOS meeting, resident Valerie Mihalek reported that see attended a Sunoco and PA Dept of Environmental Protection meeting regarding the jet fuel pipeline leak in UM. She asked "if leaks could work its way down to the artesian Wells that are a source of drinking water in Newtown? Sonoco looked at me like a deer in the headlights... like they had not thought of this one."

The company tested a couple of isolated areas in Newtown Twp and did not find any leak. However, who knows if there is a leak "just yards away" from where they tested just as was the case in UM!

August 3: The Hard Deadline for Corporate Accountability

Corporate accountability in environmental recovery has a very specific, narrow expiration date. Transparency in this case relies on a dual-pathway system: digital accessibility through an incident updates website and traditional physical access to hard copies at the Upper Makefield Township Building. This transparency is only as effective as the community's response within the defined window for influence.

A pivotal juncture will occur on July 8, 2026, during a public meeting at The Crossing Church. As stated in the official Notice of Public Comment Period, the meeting's specific purpose is:

"to receive public comments on the Remedial Action Report."

With a final comment deadline of August 3, 2026, residents must navigate the distinction between the "Remedial Action Plan" and the "Remedial Action Report" to ensure their feedback is legally recognized. This window is the primary mechanism for the public to challenge the technical specifics of the cleanup efforts before they are codified by state regulators.

The 14-Inch Risk: Juxtaposing Industrial Scale with Residential Reality

There is a jarring irony in the fact that a "Public Involvement Plan" is often only truly felt by a community after an incident occurs. The geometry of the situation in Upper Makefield is impossible to ignore: a 14-inch diameter petroleum line—a massive piece of industrial infrastructure—running directly through the quiet, residential Mt. Eyre neighborhood. This juxtaposition highlights the friction between the sheer physical scale of the risk and the bureaucratic scale of the response. For the families in Mt. Eyre, the remediation process is not a technical exercise to be managed from a distance; it is a restorative necessity for an environment that has been fundamentally altered by industrial failure.

The situation in Bucks County serves as a reminder that environmental remediation is a live process, overseen by the state but driven by local vigilance. As the current plan evolves through its "additional characterization" phase, the engagement of the local community remains the most effective tool for ensuring corporate thoroughness.

At what point does the responsibility of a private corporation end, and the duty of the informed citizen to monitor that recovery begin?

How to Have Your Say

Residents can review the technical documents and submit official testimony through the following channels:

  • In-Person Public Meeting:
    • Date/Time: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
    • Location: The Crossing Church, 1895 Wrightstown Road, Washington Crossing, PA 18977.
  • Review the Remedial Action Plan:
  • Submit Written Comments By August 3, 2026:
  • Notice ID: LSOM0542212