The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public hearing from 6-10 p.m. Monday at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe.

The public hearing is in response to the publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.The citizens group Save Carbon County, objects to the unusual format of the public hearing and will participate under protest.The group says that at a normal public hearing, members of the public give testimony, which is heard by everyone at the hearing.But at this hearing, members of the public will give their testimony to one of two court stenographers - privately, which represents a departure from procedures used in other pipeline projects overseen by FERC.Organization spokeswoman Linda Christman said, "We wonder if this entirely new procedure was developed because the PennEast/UGI project has inspired an unprecedented and highly organized opposition."In a written statement to be delivered at the public hearing, the organization states that property owners affected by this pipeline project deserve to "hear and be heard."Christman said, "FERC seems to view the public process as a nuisance and an inconvenience."