A pipeline company seeking federal approval received a significant state permit last week.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection granted the PennEast Pipeline Company's request for water quality certification, a requirement of the Federal Clean Water Act.According to the approval, the "construction, operation and maintenance of the natural gas pipeline will not violate applicable state water quality standards."PennEast has proposed a 118-mile natural gas pipeline running from Wilkes-Barre to New Jersey and through Kidder, Penn Forest, Towamensing and Lower Towamensing townships in Carbon County."PennEast Pipeline Company is pleased to have received its 401 water quality certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection," said Pat Kornick, PennEast spokesperson. "Pennsylvania's water quality certification is a significant step in the regulatory review of the PennEast pipeline project, which continues to progress through a comprehensive, multiagency review process led by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission."The decision left Linda Christman, of the pipeline opposition group Save Carbon County, "disappointed and saddened.""The DEP chose to issue this certification without a public hearing and in reliance upon a widely-criticized draft environmental impact statement," Christman said. "The proposed pipeline will cross 53 waterways and 87 wetlands along its path causing sweeping damage to aquatic habitats and protected streams. The public deserved a voice on this issue."According to Christman, streams impacted are Mud Run, Hunters Creek, Aquaschicola, Pohopoco, Buckwha, and Wild Creek."The Pohopoco Creek watershed is designated as an exceptional value watershed by DEP and by law, should be provided the greatest protection against degradation," Christman said. "Aquashicola Creek isunder study to be designated as an exceptional value stream."According to Kornick, water quality certifications are required under the Federal Clean Water Act as a prerequisite to receiving a federal license or permit for activities that involve waterways. The water quality certification acknowledges that PennEast has effective measures in place to minimize impacts on streams and other waterways during the construction, as well as long-term operation, of the PennEast pipeline."The department's yearlong review and conclusion provides additional assurance that PennEast can protect the environment, specifically water resources, while delivering much-needed affordable, abundant and reliable energy that will reduce electric and gas bills across the region for decades," Kornick said.The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission extended the planned release of its final environmental impact statement on the proposed PennEast pipeline by almost two months.The statement can now be expected by April 7 instead of by Feb. 17.Kornick said PennEast hopes to have the pipeline in operation in 2018.