Two environmental groups called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to stop its review of the PennEast pipeline until the company provides critical data Watch video
Federal review of the $1.2 billion PennEast pipeline application should stop immediately because the company has repeatedly failed to provide critical data, according to a letter sent by environmental groups Thursday.
Lawyers for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission cease its review of the PennEast application because the company has not provided data requested by several state and federal agencies, including the energy commission.
"PennEast has been asked repeatedly by state and federal agencies to submit this additional information for its application, and has again failed to do so," Tom Gilbert, of the conservation foundation. "FERC must uphold the integrity of its review process and its duty to protect public interest, by assuring that PennEast's application is completed before proceeding with its review."
PennEast wants to build a 118-mile, 36-inch natural gas conduit running from the Marcellus Shale region of Northeast Pennsylvania to Hopewell Township in Mercer County. The project has been vehemently opposed in New Jersey.
About 70 percent of property owners in the proposal's route in New Jersey have refused to let the company survey their land. Every municipality in Hunterdon and Mercer counties has passed resolutions opposing the pipeline and both counties have banned the company from public land.
Lawsuit says PennEast illegally surveying residents' property
PennEast needs to survey lands along its proposed path to refine the final route and to submit plans to the federal energy commission weighing its approval.
The letter says PennEast has failed to consider alternatives to its proposed route, failed to address FERC's requests to evaluate avoiding private drinking water wells, failed to complete a stream-by-stream analysis to avoid wetlands and has failed to meet minimum legal standards in its proposal to mitigate environmental impacts.
"In short, PennEast's response has been woefully inadequate,'' the letter, sent by the Eastern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the two environmental groups, says.
Pat Kornick, spokeswoman for PennEast, said the criticisms reflect a lack of understanding of the interstate pipeline process.
"This is a comprehensive, though fluid, review process,'' Kornick said. "As PennEast moves through the FERC process, PennEast will continue to provide applicable information to FERC."
Kornick added that PennEast will not "rush the process in response to those who oppose" it.
"PennEast's failure to provide complete and accurate answers to these outstanding questions after nearly two years is telling,'' said Jim Waltman, of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.
Earlier this month, the conservation foundation joined with a homeowners' group and sued PennEast, claiming the company has been illegally surveying their land without permission.
The company has denied that it has been illegally surveying.
"Through the course of this project, allegations regarding trespassing incidences generally have involved PennEast's use of public right of way and not private property," Pat Kornick, spokeswoman for PennEast, has said.
Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KbrownTrenton. Find NJ.com on Facebook.