The EnviroPolitics Blog late Friday reported The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Friday approved the construction of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey PennEast Pipeline saying the project will provide benefits to shippers, will not harm existing customers or other pipelines.

Shortly after the news was released, a statement was issued by PennEast saying in part, “Today’s approval of the PennEast Pipeline is a major victory for New Jersey and Pennsylvania families and businesses,” said Dat Tran, Chair of the PennEast Pipeline Company LLC Board of Managers. “They will reap the benefits of accessing one of the most affordable and abundant supplies of natural gas in all of North America. PennEast will lower gas and electricity costs, increase reliability, improve air quality, and make the region more competitive for jobs in the coming decades.”

The New Jersey Sierra Club, which has opposed the project every step of the way, also issued a statement vowing to continue the fight saying, “Now the fight begins. We will organize to stop this pipeline that people vigorously approve. PennEast has a long way to go and many permits to get. We also have a new Governor who opposes the project. We won't stop until we stop this dangerous and unneeded pipeline."

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection has not yet issued the permits needed to actually construct the pipeline. DEP did grant the Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the project on February 7, 2017.

With respect to the Chapter 105 water obstruction and encroachment permits, PennEast submitted the applications to DEP in 2016 and on December 23, 2016 DEP declared them incomplete.

Since then PennEast has been granted two extensions to fix the applications, most recently on January 4, 2018.  DEP noted three incompleteness letters were sent to PennEast on the permits.

If PennEast does not resubmit the applications, DEP said it will consider them withdrawn on June 30, 2018.

In Pennsylvania, the PennEast route travels through Luzerne, Carbon, Northampton and Bucks counties.

For more information on the permit status, visit DEP’s PennEast Pipeline webpage.

NewsClips:

FERC Approves PA-NJ PennEast Natural Gas Pipeline Late Friday

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[Posted: Jan. 20, 2018]

1/22/2018