Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) updated the Upper Makefield community on Tuesday, September 9 during a public meeting, on its monitoring of Sunoco Pipeline L.P. (SPLP) response to the petroleum pipeline leak that occurred in late January 2025, in the Mt. Eyre neighborhood of Washington Crossing in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County.
"Our review and oversight of Sunoco’s response to the pipeline leak continues, as we stand committed to the community’s needs," said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. "Our team has been extensively involved assessing the affected area through inspections, field oversight, well water samplings, attending and hosting public meetings, and ensuring that Sunoco follows the administrative cleanup order."
On March 6, 2025, DEP issued an Administrative Order to SPLP requiring them to:
- Provide clean drinking water to affected residents. (Ongoing)
- Submit an implementation schedule for reporting. (DEP Approved)
- Submit an interim remedial action plan. (DEP Approved)
- Submit a Public Involvement Plan. (DEP Approved)
- Submit a vapor intrusion (VI) investigation progress report. (DEP Approved)
- Perform remediation in accordance with the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2 of 1995). (Currently in Characterization Stage)
In early July, DEP requested SPLP expedite vapor intrusion investigations and the installation of monitoring wells by certain dates this summer. The request asked for additional vapor intrusion sampling at up to 13 homes and the immediate installation of at least seven additional monitoring wells.
Since this request, sub-slab samples were collected and did not show exceedances of chemicals attributable to the jet fuel release. Also, SPLP has installed 10 pairs of new monitoring wells, and sampling of these wells is in progress.
Per DEP’s Administrative Order, SPLP submitted an interim site characterization report on September 2, 2025, that includes the results of SPLP’s soil, groundwater, soil vapor, indoor air, and surface water sampling conducted to date. The report also contains the geophysical studies, risk analysis, and other information on which to base the evaluation of the forthcoming remedial action.
In addition, SPLP will host an in-person public meeting on September 15, 2025, to update the community on the interim site characterization report and to answer questions about the contents of this document, consistent with the Public Involvement Plan required by DEP’s Order. This report has a 45-day public review and comment period ending October 17, 2025.
Comments may be submitted to SPLP through email to uppermakefieldresponse@energytransfer.com, by phone at 877-397-3383, or by mail to SPLP’s office at 525 Fritztown Road, Sinking Spring, PA 19608.
Through its ongoing commitment to the community, DEP will continue to collaborate with Upper Makefield Township and residents to address the community’s concerns and provide timely updates. DEP will also continue to oversee all work that is being conducted to ensure it is protective of human health and the environment and is done in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
For more information on the pipeline leak and to view the September 9 community webinar, please visit the DEP Upper Makefield Pipeline webpage.
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