Sunoco Contacting Residents About Pipeline Project

Officials from Sunoco are meeting with residents that will be affected by the upcoming pipeline replacement project that will run through Shelby Township, Rochester and Rochester Hills.

The interaction between company officials range from letters and door-to-door meetings to a recent community meeting attended by project engineers and Shelby Township officials.

"Our hope is that by sharing as much information as we can ... we can curtail any undo stress and hardship," said Shelby Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis.
 
The project will replace the existing eight-inch underground pipe, which was originally built in the 1950s, with a new eight-inch pipe along a nine-mile section between M-59 and 26 Mile in the current right-of-way. The pipeline is currently not being used, according to Joseph McGinn, manager, public affairs, for Sunoco Logistics.

Shovels should be in the ground in June, and construction should run through July. When completed the pipeline will deliver ethane from western Pennsylvania to Sarnia. The ethane will be used in the production of plastic products, such as water bottles.

This right-of-way runs through public land, but also through residential properties and along property lines.

Officials from Sunoco stated crews will spend about one week per property replacing the pipe, but it could take less time. Once the work is complete, restoration work will be conducted to replace items such as sod, fences and concrete work.

A safety fence will be erected, and a silt fence, are among the measures that will be taken to keep people from the work areas and minimize the impact on the properties.

Additionally, Sunoco has reached out to local and county first responders to discuss the work that will be conducted. 

Company officials will also work with the township to post the status of the project and work areas on the township website.

"Communication is very important," Stathakis said.