Sep 26, 2017 2 min read

Buckeye Partners’ Senior Vice President Bill Hollis’s Sept. 19 piece in the Observer-Reporter, “Delivering a win for consumers,” presents a great deal of speculation regarding the flow of the Laurel Pipeline: speculation regarding the integrity of Pennsylvania-based businesses that for decades have worked diligently to provide high-quality, affordable fuel to the area; speculation regarding how these businesses benefit from the pipeline’s current construct; and speculation regarding what’s best for consumers.

Giant Eagle, Sheetz and other Pennsylvania businesses formally oppose the Laurel Pipeline’s reversal. Our reasoning is based in fact:

• Access to the East means we have more options to source fuel, specifically from East and Gulf Coast refineries, as well as imports that arrive in New York Harbor.

• Product sourced from the East is cheaper than product from the Midwest eight months of the year.

• The Pittsburgh region receives more than half of its gasoline from the East.

These are facts. And these are the reasons why we believe a reversal of the pipeline is not in the best interest of those of us living and working in Western Pennsylvania.

Dan Donovan

Pittsburgh

Donovan is the director of corporate communications for Giant Eagle, Inc.