Dear Editor:

A Sept. 10 letter to the editor suggests Carbon County residents deserve to know the truth about the PennEast pipeline project. PennEast agrees. The writer makes "blatantly inaccurate" claims about the project and natural gas that warrant correction.With respect to the environmental benefits of natural gas, the increased use of natural gas is a key factor in reducing American carbon emissions. Due mostly to the increased use of natural gas for electric generation, energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide in 2015 were 12 percent lower than they were in 2005, even as the U.S. economy was 15 percent larger last year than it was a decade earlier. This leads the world in CO2 reductions, and the result is total carbon dioxide emissions have fallen below 5.2 billion metric tons - the lowest level since 1992.In addition, from a cost and availability perspective, solar and wind electricity is not able to provide baseload or "round-the-clock" generation. Natural gas, with its affordability and low emissions, is perfect for operating 24/7 and backing up renewable energy sources. By comparison, to equal the amount of energy that will be provided by the PennEast pipeline, there would need to be a solar array spanning 285 square miles (almost enough to cover all of Carbon County) or 6,074 industrial-scale wind turbines. As the solar and wind industries mature and become more dependable and cost effective, natural gas will be the perfect complement to support their growth.PennEast has gone to great lengths to minimize environmental impacts. Through route modifications, 37 percent of the route now is co-located with existing utility rights of way.Regarding the compressor station in Kidder Township, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission evaluated an alternative site and concluded that the current (previously logged) site is the preferred location, and that the entire project "would not result in significant air quality impacts." To the contrary, FERC found, "the project would contribute to a cumulative improvement in regional air quality if a portion of the natural gas associated with the project displaces the use of other more polluting fossil fuels."FERC also concluded that with the overall mitigation measures PennEast will implement, along with those FERC is recommending, any adverse environmental impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels.The author also alleges Carbon County residents will experience no benefits, which is absolutely false. PennEast's increase of natural gas in the region will reduce electricity prices, which benefits all families and businesses that use electricity - including the nearly 30 percent of Carbon County homes that rely on electricity for heat. Specifically, had PennEast been in service in the 2013-14 winter, electric customers in eastern Pennsylvania alone would have saved nearly $300 million. That's only one heating season. Consider the potential year-over-year savings.Additionally, the writer is correct that PennEast will tie in to Blue Mountain Ski Resort, providing the local employer clean, affordable energy. Blue Mountain has announced that gas supplied through the PennEast pipeline is critical to its expansion plans, which will draw increased visitors and create an economic ripple effect throughout Carbon County.The PennEast project will create jobs - thousands of them - both directly and indirectly, with local union workers helping to fill those positions. However, the pipeline can also be used as an economic development tool, attracting other major industry to the area. The real job creation will be in the years ahead as new employers site operations in the region thanks to affordable energy - providing new career opportunities so people don't have to move from the area.PennEast Pipeline Company is committed to the communities where its employees also live and work, and safety is our highest priority. With 24/7 monitoring, state-of-the-art technology and regular inspections, PennEast can ensure safety while delivering much-needed energy and protecting the environment.Learn more at

www.penneastpipeline.com.Sincerely,Pat KornickPennEast Pipeline Company