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DALLAS — The final Environmental Impact Study on the PennEast Pipeline project will not be prepared by Dec. 16 as originally slated, according to a spokesperson at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
FERC rescheduled the report’s release after 33 pipeline route deviations were filed by PennEast in late September, said Tamara Young-Allen, spokeswoman at FERC.
FERC’s final EIS is tentatively scheduled to be completed Feb. 17, 2017, she said.
“A different group of landowners are now affected,” Young-Allen said. “They (landowners) have until Dec. 5 to submit their comments to FERC.”
“The commission will need time to review their comments.”
FERC mailed out a notice to the newly affected landowners on Nov. 4, she said.
The property owners can submit their feedback on the project by visiting www.ferc.gov, clicking on the “Documents & Filings” tab and then clicking on “eFile” or “eComment.”
Landowners can also mail in their comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn.: Kimberly Bose, 888 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20426.
All comments must note the project’s docket number CP15-558-000.
FERC will review all information and comprise the final EIS.
The study will require PennEast Pipeline Company LLC to complete several surveys regarding area’s of concern identified by FERC, Young-Allen said.
FERC will review the EIS and completed surveys to have a decision by May 18, 2017, on the project, Young-Allen said.
The PennEast Pipeline project is a planned 36-inch natural gas line that will run from Dallas Township 120 miles southeast to Mercer County, New Jersey, to transport up to one billion cubic feet of Marcellus shale natural gas.
FERC held a series of public meetings to collect information from residents about endangered species, historical areas and undermined areas.
In responses, PennEast filed 33 route changes with FERC, according to a press release.