A woman was arrested after sheriff deputies said she interfered with tree clearing in Huntingdon County Tuesday.
Elizabeth Glunt is one of the property owners’ friends who were on scene, protesting Sunoco Logistics’ tree cutting for its gas pipeline.
Another protester said Glunt was not trying to get in the way, but wanted to warn crews about a woman hiding in a tree. Glunt is currently in custody. There is no word on if the woman in the tree was arrested.
Crews started early Tuesday morning, clear-cutting for the Mariner East Pipeline Project.
“I mean this is all that there’s left to do is to actually physically be here to protest what’s going on,” said protester Nicholas Miller.
Sheriff deputies stood along the tree line, separating protesters from workers.
“We’re not crossing over with violating their right of way, but on the other hand, they are not allowed to be off the right of way,” property owner Ellen Gerhart said. “So if they come off the right of way, they’re trespassing.”
The property owners have been fighting this project since last February, but Huntingdon County Judge George Zanic ruled the company has eminent domain, meaning they can cut down the trees.
“It just frustrates me that, you know, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is not protecting the environment,” Gerhart said.
The protesters said Sunoco Logistics does not have the proper permits to work in a wetland. Sunoco representatives said that is not true. (See below for a statement from the company)
“We’ve tried to call the governor. We’ve tried to call the DCNR, the DEP,” Miller said. “No one seems to be able to hold Sunoco accountable… having the proper DEP permits to doing this cutting today.”
The pipeline is coming through 17 counties in Pennsylvania. There are two eminent domain cases where landowners have raised legal questions in Chester County.
“It’s not over,” Gerhart said.
Sunoco has until March 31st to cut down trees. After that, the area is protected for wildlife migration through September. Any cutting during that time will result in fines.
Sunoco Logistics sent WTAJ this statement earlier today:
“As approved by the Court of Common Pleas in Huntingdon County Monday, today Sunoco Pipeline proceeded under the law and continued with our tree-felling activity in Huntingdon County. We have conducted similar operations on approximately 170 tracts previously in Pennsylvania without incident or the need to file an injunction.
We will continue to work with landowners to address their individual needs and concerns, but as the court noted, protesters do not have the right to prevent Sunoco Pipeline from conducting lawful activity. We have delineated wetlands consistent with Army Corps of Engineers’ requirements on the Gerhardt property and will not be felling trees within those wetlands.”