LEHIGHTON, Pa. — Christman Farm near Towamensing Township has been in the family for nearly 150 years; that could’ve changed.
Penn East wanted to run a natural gas pipeline there.
Now, the company said it is exploring other options.
"After I saw it in writing, I was overjoyed. Really happy. I couldn't wait to tell the other landowners that were affected,” Linda Christman said.
In a statement to Newswatch 16, Penn East said it “believes it is not prudent to complete the acquisition of the rights of way as it might not be necessary for some time.”
It went on to say it may restart legal proceedings when it has a better understanding of when it would need to acquire the properties.
“Time passing is only going to show that a fossil fuel infrastructure project like this is only going to get less attractive,” Christman said.
If the proposed pipeline had gone through, it would have cut diagonally across the Christman property.
“So many landowners had just been through the mill for seven years, worried about this pipeline coming through their property,” Christman said.
Lucy Freck was also worried about the pipeline making its way through.
“We're a tourism-driven county and township. To have something like this come through it would just negatively impact us,” Freck said.
The Christmans hope the farm stays it exactly the way it is so it can be passed on to the fourth generation.