One Year Later: Fitzpatrick Presses for Answers, Accountability, and Safety Following Upper Makefield Pipeline Leak

Langhorne, PA- One year after jet fuel from the Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline was discovered contaminating private wells in the Mt. Eyre neighborhood of Upper Makefield Township, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) marked the anniversary by reaffirming his commitment to the affected families and renewing his call for full accountability, transparency, and permanent federal safeguards to ensure no community faces this again.

Since residents first reported fuel odors in their water on January 31, 2025, Fitzpatrick has maintained continuous engagement with affected families and sustained oversight of every agency responsible for pipeline safety and environmental protection. What began as a local emergency has since exposed national weaknesses in pipeline regulation, emergency response, and public accountability-failures Fitzpatrick has worked to confront through enforcement demands and federal reform.

"Over the past year, I've sat at kitchen tables, walked contaminated properties, and worked hand-in-hand with our residents to press for answers and accountability, and, most importantly, to restore the basic assurance that the water coming from their taps is safe," said Fitzpatrick. "As I reflect today, what stands out most is the resilience, courage, and unity of this community. Neighbors rolled up their sleeves, looked out for one another, and turned shared resolve into the strongest pipeline safety reforms in more than a decade. But this work is not finished. I will keep pressing forward, without pause, until every family has the certainty and safety they deserve."

Renewing The Call: No More Delays

Today, ahead of the one-year mark, Fitzpatrick formally pressed the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for a public accounting of its investigation into Energy Transfer and the Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline.

The letter to Administrator Paul Roberti calls for:

• A fixed timeline for PHMSA's final investigative findings
• Public disclosure of root-cause determinations and inspection results
• A full accounting of enforcement actions, penalties, or referrals
• Detailed documentation of corrective actions and long-term safety measures

Click here to read the full letter.

A Year of Advocacy & Hands-On-Engagement

Upper Makefield Task Force Families

In the days, weeks, and months following the discovery of contamination, Fitzpatrick led an escalating federal response driven by the failures residents experienced firsthand.

Over the past year, that response included:

• Briefing the U.S. Secretary of Transportation on the scope of contamination and the urgent need for federal intervention just days after the contamination
• Calling for the pipeline's temporary shutdown pending safety investigation and site stabilization
• Pressing PHMSA and PA DEP for full disclosure of lab results, inspection records, and enforcement actions
• Demanding independent oversight, well-by-well testing, and enforceable water safety guarantees
• Elevating the issue to the EPA to ensure coordinated interagency action
• Returning repeatedly to the site - including during excavation and inspection - to oversee conditions firsthand
• Working directly with the Mt. Eyre Neighborhood Resident Task Force to shape federal inquiries and legislative reform

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick On-Site In Upper Makefield with PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti

From Local Crisis to Federal Reform: The Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act

The Upper Makefield contamination revealed a regulatory framework that too often prioritizes procedure over protection. Fitzpatrick moved to close those gaps by introducing the bipartisan Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act, the strongest pipeline reform package in more than a decade.

Named for the family who first detected the leak and sounded the alarm, the legislation was shaped by real experiences: delayed testing, inconsistent updates, and regulatory confusion that left families without clean water or clear answers.

The bill:

• Modernizes pipeline inspection protocols
• Expands public transparency and real-time notification requirements
• Strengthens leak detection technology and emergency response plans
• Supports first responders and local governments with new resources
• Enforces stronger accountability standards for pipeline operators nationwide

"When our family first reported the smell of fuel in our water, we were made to feel like we were imagining it - even as jet fuel was entering our home and our neighbors' wells. Speaking up wasn't easy, but we refused to stay quiet because we knew something was dangerously wrong. Congressman Fitzpatrick came into our home, saw what we were living through, and stood with our community when not many did," said Kristine Wojnovich, Mt. Eyre Task Force member and the bill's namesake. "For our family and our neighbors, this bill means our experience mattered. It means the fear, frustration, and uncertainty we live through will lead to real protections. We appreciate that Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick immediately saw the urgency of this situation to us and our community and has acted on our behalf."

Laura Restrepo (Senator Fetterman's Office), Kristine Wojnovich, & Congressman Fitzpatrick

Background:

On January 31, 2025, residents in Upper Makefield Township first reported fuel odors in their drinking water, prompting the discovery of a jet fuel leak from the Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline. What followed exposed serious and systemic failures in pipeline oversight, emergency response, and public accountability.

• A "slow-drip" leak may have gone undetected for as long as 16 months.
• At least six private drinking wells were contaminated with jet fuel.
• Residents received delayed, inconsistent, and often conflicting information about risks to their water.
• Local emergency responders incurred significant, unreimbursed response costs.
• State and federal agencies struggled to provide timely, transparent, and coordinated updates to affected families.

Throughout the response, Congressman Fitzpatrick repeatedly intervened-urging the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to suspend operations, pressing state agencies for independent testing and stronger oversight, elevating the issue to the Environmental Protection Agency, and demanding full environmental remediation and accountability.

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