The PennEast Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of UGI Corporation, is holding invitation-only meetings with affected landowners today on its proposal to build a pipeline through Carbon County.

The meetings, 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., will only be open to landowners whose land will be used for right of way for the project through negotiation or through an eminent domain taking.Local businesses, nongovernmental stakeholders, chambers of commerce, resource agencies and other people with property that may be crossed by access roads or impacted by related infrastructure, have not been invited.The meetings will be held at the Flagstaff Ballroom, 600 Flagstaff Road. Informational pickets from "Save Carbon County" will greet attendees.Save Carbon County spokeswoman Linda Christman said, "Despite the fact the project's public comment period in the scoping phase has already ended, this meeting will mark the first time that most landowners have been shown a detailed map showing how the pipeline is proposed to cross their property, where the trench will be dug and the pipe installed, with the accuracy of these maps still uncertain."Christman added, "Under eminent domain proceedings, landowners will receive a one-time payment based on current real estate values. Those values are at historic low levels. Unlike cell tower companies, the pipeline company will not pay an annual fee. In future years, no matter how much profit the company makes, the property owner will receive nothing, although the pipeline will continue to negatively impact the value and use of the property."The 114-mile pipeline would run from Luzerne County to New Jersey, weaving its way through Penn Forest, Kidder, Towamensing and Lower Towamensing townships in Carbon County.The group Save Carbon County, in association with Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Concerned Citizens Against the Pipeline, and Berks Gas Truth will host a meeting for landowners at 7 p.m. June 16 at the Towamensing Township offices at 120 Stable Road off Route 209 near the Towamensing Elementary School.The meeting will focus on landowner rights, "When the pipeline comes knocking."An environmental lawyer will be at the meeting to answer questions and inform landowners of their rights.