About 1400 parties seek to intervene in PennEast pipeline case

Tom Johnson/NJ Spotlight

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Tom Johnson is the energy and environment reporter for NJ Spotlight. He is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in reporting and editing at New Jersey newspapers. A veteran reporter for The Newark Star-Ledger, Johnson worked in the Statehouse and in Newark covering energy, environmental and telecommunications issues. Before that he served as editor of the Ridgewood Newspapers and a reporter and editor at the Herald-News. A recipient of many state and national journalism honors, including recognition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for coverage of the environment, he was a member of the Star-Ledger’s nationally award-winning business section. After leaving the Ledger in early 2009, he served as press secretary to the Daggett Campaign for Governor. He lives in Plainfield, N.J. tjohnson@njspotlight.com

November 4, 2015 | 11:22 AM

Susan Phillips / StateImpact Pennsylvania

A sign protesting the PennEast pipeline along a road in Durham Township, Bucks County.

In a sign of the widespread opposition the project faces, more than 1,440 property owners, government agencies, and interest groups are seeking to intervene in the proposed PennEast pipeline case before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The 118-mile natural-gas pipeline beginning in Luzerne County in Pennsylvania, crossing the Delaware River into Hunterdon County and ending in Mercer County is perhaps the most contentious of at least a dozen similar projects proposed in New Jersey.

Intervener status would allow parties to present evidence as to why the $1.1 billion project should be approved or rejected and to appeal in federal court if they oppose the FERC decision. It is up to the agency to grant intervener status to those requesting it.

Besides the opposition, about a dozen or so utilities and other companies have sought to intervene in the case, according to Patricia Kornick, a spokeswoman for PennEast Pipeline Company LLC. Continue reading at NJ Spotlight.