The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission extended its deadline for issuing a final environmental review of the proposed PennEast pipeline project by two months on Tuesday.

A final environmental impact study is now expected by Feb. 17, 2017.Several minor route modifications to the $1 billion, 118.8-mile natural gas pipeline slated to run from Luzerne County to Mercer County, New Jersey, including through parts of Carbon County, is the main reason for the extension, according to FERC."It's not surprising that they have asked for two extra months," Pat Kornick, PennEast spokeswoman said Tuesday afternoon. "We take it in stride. We're proposing to build a massive infrastructure project. If the extra two months is what FERC needs to go over this thoroughly, then we think that's a good thing."The deadline for a decision on federal authorization of the project is now set for May 18, 2017.The 33 recent route modifications from PennEast do include six in Carbon County.Reasons listed for the changes include "to move the pipeline further from an existing structure, avoid snow-making infrastructure and avoid installation of the pipeline parallel to a water body," among others."There are no new landowners affected by the changes, but there are some parcels that were not included before, that are now directly in the path," Kornick said.In a draft environmental impact statement released in July, FERC said its staff "determined that construction and operation of the project would result in some adverse environmental impacts, but impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the implementation of PennEast's proposed and FERC staff's recommended mitigation measures."FERC has reopened the comment period before issuing a final environmental impact statement.A new deadline has been set for Dec. 5, 2016.Comments can be filed electronically using the eComment or eFiling feature located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov), or file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address:Kimberly D. Bose, SecretaryFederal Energy Regulatory Commission888 First St. NE, Room 1AWashington, D.C. 20426.