WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is intensifying pressure on federal regulators to address jet fuel contamination in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, linked to a leak in Sunoco’s Twin Oaks Pipeline.
During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Thursday, Fetterman confronted Paul Roberti, nominee to lead the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), over the agency’s ongoing investigation. The 105-mile pipeline, which transports jet fuel through southeastern Pennsylvania, is overseen by PHMSA.
Fetterman brought national attention to the issue by displaying bottles of discolored, fuel-tainted water collected from the home of Upper Makefield resident Kristine Wojnovich, who attended the hearing as his guest. The contamination has affected private wells in the area, with residents first raising alarms in 2023. At the time, Sunoco allegedly dismissed the gasoline odor as caused by “bacteria.” A full year passed before the company confirmed a leak on January 31, 2025.
“It honestly smells like straight-up fuel. I wouldn’t want to put a flame around it,” Fetterman said, urging Roberti to commit to transparency and swift action.
Roberti responded by pledging, “If confirmed, I would like to go to the accident scene with [Senator Fetterman]” and promised to move the investigation forward “in an expeditious manner.”
Despite bipartisan calls for a shutdown—Fetterman and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) previously urged PHMSA to halt operations—the agency has only mandated a 20% reduction in flow through the line.
Fetterman emphasized that meaningful enforcement and accountability are critical. “A win for Pennsylvania is ultimately a win for the country,” he said, framing the crisis as a national issue of environmental safety and regulatory oversight.
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