Routing gas transmission pipelines along the Pennsylvania Turnpike would be good for the state's environment and balance sheet, a House lawmaker told a committee hearing last week.

Rep. Scott Petri, R-Richboro, has just introduced legislation to give the turnpike commission authority to allow use of its right of way for commercial transmission pipelines and charge a fee for it."There's no reason to destroy environmentally sensitive areas when you have the turnpike," Petri said during a meeting of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.He represents a district in Bucks County where constituents are concerned about the intrusion of gas pipelines near residences and environmental areas. Petri has also sponsored legislation to levy a state severance tax on gas production.But he thinks a transmission fee could generate far more revenue for state coffers and cover turnpike costs than a severance tax would. Petri's bill doesn't specify a fee amount, but it would require a pipeline operator to have a valid fee arrangement with the turnpike commission.The turnpike commission is studying the matter of whether pipelines, fiber optic cables and other utility infrastructure can run along its right of way."We understand parts of our 550-mile system may be suitable to carry parallel pipelines - but that hasn't been fully determined just yet," said agency spokesman Carl Defebo Jr.Interstates 80 and 79 could also be candidates for pipelines if federal approval was obtained, Petri said.Petri's legislation emerges with state officials predicting thousands of miles of new pipelines being built to bring gas from Marcellus Shale wells to markets along the Atlantic seaboard.A half-dozen transmission line expansions are planned throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.Anti-pipeline activists from northeastern Pennsylvania question the need for more pipelines in the first place.Unlike the situation with pipelines proposed in Luzerne County, having a pipeline along the turnpike would be a step in the right direction as far as property rights and property values are concerned, said Scott Cannon of Plymouth. Alex Lotorto, a member of Stop the Milford Compressor Station Expansion, said the routes of area pipelines may not fit with the right of way of the Turnpike's Northeast Extension from Clarks Summit to the Lehigh Valley.But he said it may be better to have public agencies deal with pipeline operators than private property owners in an eminent domain process.A state task force recently presented a draft report with dozens of recommendations regarding the development of these pipelines to Gov. Tom Wolf.The draft supports using existing roads, right of way corridors and utility property except where high voltage power lines are located for pipelines, but doesn't mention the turnpike specifically.