PRINTER'S NO. 2542
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
531
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, DONATUCCI, CHARLTON, COMITTA, DAVIDSON,
DAVIS, DeLISSIO, DRISCOLL, FITZGERALD, GAINEY, HANNA,
W. KELLER, KORTZ, D. MILLER, MURT, NEILSON, PASHINSKI,
ROEBUCK, SOLOMON, THOMAS, VAZQUEZ, WATSON, LONGIETTI,
P. COSTA, YOUNGBLOOD, KIRKLAND, DEASY AND D. COSTA,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to maintain
Philadelphia refineries' pipeline access to western
Pennsylvania markets by denying Laurel Pipe Line Company,
L.P.'s, application, thereby supporting jobs and economic
growth in Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Laurel Pipe Line Company, L.P., (Laurel) filed its
original certificate of public convenience with the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission (PUC) in 1957 for the construction and
operation of the Laurel Pipeline, which provides for the
transportation of liquid petroleum products through a 350-mile
pipeline extending from points of origin near Philadelphia to
various destinations westward across this Commonwealth and
terminating west of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Laurel's pipeline service has remained almost
unchanged for nearly 60 years, providing refiners on the east
coast, particularly the southeastern Pennsylvania area, the
ability to move their products into Pittsburgh-area markets; and
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WHEREAS, On November 14, 2016, Laurel filed a line reversal
application with the PUC to change the direction of petroleum
products transportation services to delivery points west of
Eldorado, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The change would end the westward flow of petroleum
from southeastern Pennsylvania at Eldorado before it reaches
Pittsburgh-area delivery locations; and
WHEREAS, Since the reversal application was filed, several
parties have filed protests urging the PUC to deny the
application; and
WHEREAS, The Laurel Pipeline reversal would significantly
restrict southeastern Pennsylvania refiners' access to western
Pennsylvania markets and would therefore impact the economic
viability of these critical facilities; and
WHEREAS, Numerous members of the Senate and House of
Representatives, as well as other local elected officials
throughout this Commonwealth, have expressed their concerns to
the PUC regarding the application and its potential impact on
Pennsylvania consumers and southeastern Pennsylvania refiners;
and
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh-area fuel retailers and marketers are
currently able to purchase wholesale fuel products from either
the midwest or the east coast depending on price and
availability; and
WHEREAS, A Laurel Pipeline reversal would eliminate this
option, making the retailers and marketers vulnerable to price
spikes and supply shortages in the midwest and destroying the
competitive market environment while also raising consumer fuel
prices; and
WHEREAS, Laurel claims that the line reversal will result in
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no public harm as alternative options exist for current pipeline
customers to ship their products, including trucking products
from various areas throughout this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The application fails to establish that no public
harm will result from these alternative transportation methods
and fails to establish that these methods are economically
viable to east coast and southeastern Pennsylvania refiners or
that alternative transportation methods such as trucking are
even feasible, given highway and product storage restraints; and
WHEREAS, Even if trucking is a viable option, the significant
increase in truck traffic envisioned by Laurel would impact the
safety of Pennsylvania highways and increase the amount of
maintenance required to these highways, the cost of which is
ultimately paid for by the residents of this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Southeastern Pennsylvania refiners provide thousands
of family sustaining jobs with significant health, welfare and
retirement benefits, including a large number of contractor and
other indirect jobs; and
WHEREAS, Southeastern Pennsylvania refiners also provide a
critical supply of petroleum products to the residents of this
Commonwealth and the east coast in times of natural disaster and
other crises, such as during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 when the
Commonwealth failed to experience supply shortages and price
spikes that were seen in New Jersey and New York; and
WHEREAS, A loss of critical southeastern Pennsylvania
refining capacity would be detrimental to the public interest of
this Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to maintain Philadelphia
refineries' pipeline access to western Pennsylvania markets by
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denying Laurel Pipe Line Company, L.P.'s, application, thereby
supporting jobs and economic growth in Philadelphia and
southeastern Pennsylvania.
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