The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission extended the planned release of its final environmental impact statement on the proposed PennEast pipeline by almost two months.

According to an updated timeline released Monday, the statement can now be expected by April 7 instead of by Feb. 17.“Due to additional environmental information filed by PennEast and certain state agencies, the commission staff requires more time to analyze all the environmental data and prepare the final EIS,” FERC said in the release.The 118-mile pipeline is projected to run through four municipalities in Carbon County.PennEast is confident the extra time requested by FERC is positive news.“After a two-and-a-half year review of PennEast Pipeline Company’s application, including the 33 route adjustments announced in September to further reduce environmental impact, the additional 49-day review period FERC announced today will help ensure a complete and thorough review,” said PennEast spokeswoman Pat Kornick.“PennEast looks forward to receiving the final environmental impact statement and anticipates the line will be operational in the second half of 2018.”According to a draft environmental impact statement, “FERC 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.”After the release of the draft EIS, several agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency questioned the project.A 16-page letter submitted Sept. 12 to FERC outlines the EPA’s “significant concerns regarding the alternatives analysis, a number of important topics for which information is incomplete, and the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the proposed action on the environment and public health, including impacts to terrestrial resources, including interior forests, aquatic resources, and rare, threatened and endangered species.”U.S. Congressman Matt Cartwright also called for an evidentiary hearing to “determine the legitimate need” for the project.FERC has 90 days after issuing its EIS to make a final decision on the pipeline.“FERC determined in its initial environmental assessment that the PennEast pipeline would have minimal environmental impact — and could even improve the region’s air quality as natural gas displaces other less-clean fuels for electric power generation,” Kornick said. “PennEast is confident the project can be built safely and with minimal environmental impact and will continue to provide necessary data as FERC continues its due diligence on the project.”