Pike County Commissioners have cancelled a meeting to discuss the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Northeast Upgrade project due to lack of
participation from officials.
The meeting was requested by citizens opposed to a proposed pipeline which deviates from its existing right of way through a small portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and instead cuts a longer path their forested a forested area crossing Cummins Hill Road in Milford.
“To the best of our knowledge, there are no true physical or practical barriers to the use of the existing easement through the DWGNRA,” an August 1 invitation letter signed by Pike Commissioners said. “It is our firm belief that had FERC been fully aware of all of the facts relating to the use of the existing easement, that it would have so ordered its use.”
But commissioners could not get the decision makers to attend the meeting. Those whose participation is considered vital, but who did not agree to attend include Congressman Tom Marino, Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, Governor Thomas Corbett; Harry Forbes of the governor’s Northeast regional office; Bradley Melzer of Kinder Morgan/ Tennessee Gas Pipeline; David Hanobic the environmental project manager for FERC; Dennis Reidenbach National Park Service northeast regional director; John Donahue, Superintendent of DWGNRA; Samuel Reynolds, chief application section II USACOE Regulatory Branch.
Commissioners say in a press release that they regret being unable to facilitate an open and honest dialogue to address the concerns of Pike County Residents.
