If PennEast Pipeline Co. LLC cannot reach an agreement with landowners and federal regulators approve the $1 billion project, the company says it can use eminent domain to acquire the land.
PennEast made the announcement in a media packet dated Oct. 9 titled, “Landowner Bill of Rights.” Eminent domain is the power to take private property for use in a public project in return for compensation.
Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, previously said an estimated two-thirds or 70 percent of the people along the pipeline route in New Jersey have said ‘no’ to the pipeline and won’t let PennEast on their land for surveying.
PennEast in the packet says if the company needs to use eminent domain, it likely will seek to acquire an easement and under its conditions, the landowner would retain ownership of the property. However, if the company needs land to build a compressor station, it will seek to purchase the property outright by deed and PennEast would have ownership.
Plans for the PennEast pipeline project include constructing the natural gas pipeline from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to Mercer County, New Jersey.
The 36-inch pipeline is proposed to transport enough natural gas from Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale region to serve 4.7 million homes, according to the company’s website.
PennEast has a projected in-service date of November 2017.
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If you think you may be affected by the PennEast Pipeline project and/or are interested in a free consultation, contact our eminent domain landowner attorneys at 1-888-318-3761 or visit us on the web at www.landownerattorneys.com.
