WILKES-BARRE -- A proposed natural gas pipeline was the topic of discussion for dozens of residents in Luzerne County Monday night.
The 108-mile line would run from the county's Back Mountain to New Jersey, but the project isn't getting a warm reception.
Dozens of residents from parts of Luzerne County came out to Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre, hoping to hear more about a proposed natural gas pipeline.
PennEast wants to place a 108-mile line, starting in the Dallas area that would run all the way to New Jersey, cutting through Luzerne and Carbon Counties.
Many people living along that planned line had many concerns.
“There are major environmental impacts,” said Thomas Byron of Dallas. “You`ve got a pipeline, you dig a 7-foot trench, including blasting, the land will never be the same, the trees never come back, you can't use the land.”
“When you have those gas facilities you`re home values will drop and people trying to refinance their mortgages could have them adversarially impacted,” said Duke Barrett of Dallas.
The energy company hosted an open house to answer questions and provide information on the project.
PennEast says the pipeline would benefit this region by lowering energy costs and by creating jobs.
It will deliver gas drilled from the state`s Marcellus Shale area.
“It`s extremely important to the region because we`re able to deliver clean, affordable, locally produced natural gas to consumers throughout Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey,” said Patricia Kornick, a spokesperson for PennEast.
PennEast says the 36-inch line would run underground, with some of it going under the Susquehanna River.
PennEast says if this proposal gets approved it hopes to start construction in 2017.
“It`s going to be near a lot of residential areas, also a lot of schools as well, in some of the areas, wetlands. A lot of things need to be taken into consideration, crossing underneath the river,” said one resident.
The next open house PennEast has scheduled for this region is next Tuesday November 18 in Palmerton, Carbon County.