Carbon County officials want the residents affected by the proposed pipeline project to know that they will try to help.

On Thursday, county commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing the county to act as an intervener for the proposed PennEast natural gas pipeline and take additional action to protect the interests of the county and its residents.Commissioner William O'Gurek said the board wants to be supportive of the residents' concerns."The three of us plan to attend the Feb. 11 meeting (at Penn's Peak). We are going to be there as supporters of not only the people, but the property of our county." O'Gurek said."My most serious concern is how a for-profit organization can take people's land," O'Gurek continued. "It's disgraceful to me that a private entity would want to go through someone's home. I'm not against growth and industry and promoting economy and doing whatever is best but that line is running through Pennsylvania, damaging several counties and properties within it and then it is going to serve people in New Jersey (and other countries), that's disgraceful. I'm offended by that. I hope we can do whatever it is like you asked us to minimize the effects that this pipeline might have."The proposed pipeline will run 108 miles from Dallas, Pennsylvania, through a portion of Carbon County and end in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. It is expected to transport one billion cubic feet of natural gas a day at a pressure of 1,500 psi from the gas fields in Northern Pennsylvania.Residents opposedThe pipeline route will take homes, state forests and privately-owned lands and damage the area, its water supply and the environment, according to area residents and environmental groups.Over a dozen residents attended the commissioners' meeting to speak out about the project and look for help from the county.Charles Weber of Albrightsville, who approached the commissioners last month about adopting a resolution opposing the project, said that the county now joins 20 of 26 other municipalities that the pipeline will affect."As an intervener," Weber said, "you will represent the individual citizens on a whole."Roy and Linda Christman of Towamensing Township said that the route will go through a portion of their farm lands."I'm here to protest the pipeline that also cuts through three state parks in our county," Roy Christman said. "Parks are supposed to be preserved."Dr. Sue Ann Lewine of Mahoning Township voiced concerns over the groundwater and the effects the pipeline will have on the water supply."There is uncontested evidence that pipelines leak at the joints," she said, adding that the leaks would then get into groundwater. In Pennsylvania, as elected officials, you have a clear mandate to provide clean water, clean air and cleaning living to your constituents and I appreciate you are trying to do that."Cathy Weber of Albrightsville said that studies done by Duke University on homes near fracking areas show that there is a 23 percent decrease in real estate values in homes that have well water.She said the pipeline will have similar affects on the homes."We all have well water up there," she said. "This pipeline and compressor station is not going to only affect my husband and myself, it's going to affect everyone's property in this county. Who is going to want to come here with the smell and sound of the compressor station? Who is going to want to buy the homes when there is a pipeline here and another gets put in, and we know there are plans for others. This is a countywide problem."Charles Weber then raised concerns about fires and explosions along the line. In some states with pipelines, explosions with flames 300 hundred feet high have been reported."We can't deal with that," he previously told the commissioners, adding that the company said they would put updates in to help fire companies in the case this happens."Albrightsville Fire Company would require $1 million in updates alone to be able to handle fires like this. Do you think they are going to update all fire departments along the pipeline (at this cost)? I don't think so."PennEast said the gas will benefit people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey," Weber added. "Ultimately, the gas product of this pipeline will benefit no one in the United States, Pennsylvania, Carbon County or any townships that they're crossing."Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard thanked everyone for educating the board."We will be out there fighting for you guys," he said.