Marple Safety Coalition

Hi. My name is Ted, and I need help with a problem that has great legal and environmental consequences. I am involved in a legal battle that will set the precedent for the environmental review of public utility infrastructure projects in Pennsylvania.

PECO wants to build a Gas Expansion Plant (aka "Relibility Station" in my neighborhood, at the Corner of Sproul and Cedar Grove Roads. My local government (Marple Township, in Delaware County, PA) opposes the project, and the legal battle can be summarized in three parts.

In the first round, on December 7, 2021, at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, PECO was the winner, but the judge wrote:

“While we find that the concerns... are valid, and we are not unsympathetic to those concerns, issues related to noise, gas emissions, aesthetics, traffic and other health and safety concerns are beyond the Commission’s review."

In the second round, on March 9, 2023, at the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, PECO was the loser. The judges saw that the legislation controlling the PUC ininfrastructure decisions does, in fact, PROHIBIT the Commission from reviewing the environmental consequences of their decisions. But the Court also noted that the Pennsylvania Constitution REQUIRES state agencies to consider the environmental consequences of their decisions. Therefore, the Commonwealth Court ordered that:"...the Commission... issue an Amended Decision... which must incorporate the results of a constitutionally sound environmental impact review..."

As the third round begins (see http://www.marplesafe.com/ for more details), PECO knows that this is case will set a precedent in determining the nature of an environmental review of a public utility infrastructure project. So, I need a lot of money to hire environmental lawyers and environmental expert witnesses, hoping that said reviews are strong.

Thank you very, very much for your support.