Money from a fine paid by Sunoco Pipeline LP will fund a handful of watershed restoration and stream protection projects in the area and others across the state.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced this week how money from a $12.6 million fine imposed because of violations during construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline will be distributed.

Local communities will receive $1,328,443. State­wide, 61 projects in 14 counties will be funded.

“One thing that all of these projects have in common is that they will im­prove Pennsylvania’s wat­er,” DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement.

The funding stems from a civil penalty handed down by DEP officials in April to Sunoco Pipeline LP, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners.

Sunoco is constructing the natural gas pipeline across the state, passing through Blair, Cambria and Huntingdon counties along the way.

The fine was issued as a penalty for a number of prior construction violations, including the discharge of industrial waste into state waters without a permit and failure by Sunoco officials to secure authorization before drill­ing at several sites, including in Blair County.

In February, a former Sunoco spokesman said company representatives “strongly” disagreed with the penalty, but “felt it was important to our unit holders and to the Common­wealth of Pennsylvania that we move forward rather than engage in continued litigation.”

Money paid to cover the fine was placed into the state’s Clean Water and Dams and Encroachment funds.

From those funds, grants are being made available to municipalities that are working to reduce pollution or to rehabilitate unsafe dams, water obstructions and encroachments, state officials said.

“Our goal with the penalty grant is to aid municipal leaders in providing meaningful local environmental benefits,” McDonnell said.

“These projects do not absolve Sunoco of its re­sponsibility to restore any damage to Pennsylvania waters and wetlands through the construction of the pipeline,” McDonnell said. “But it is nice that this penalty could be put directly towards other deserving improvement projects in the communities along the right-of-way.”

Mirror Staff Writer Sean Sauro is at 946-7535.