Developers of the proposed PennEast pipeline fired back at the New Jersey Sierra Club this week after the environmental group issued a press release claiming PennEast filed 80 recent route deviations.

“PennEast has not submitted route alternatives since the end of September, when it announced 33 route modifications largely in response to input from landowners, agencies and others,” said Pat Kornick, PennEast spokeswoman. “This is the latest example of the New Jersey Sierra Club and its director Jeff Tittel spreading misinformation, deceiving communities and making inflammatory statements about the project. The irresponsible release might bode well for Sierra Club fundraising, though such questionable credibility hinders honest, factual dialogue about the project.”The PennEast natural gas pipeline is projected to run through four municipalities in Carbon County.According to the Sierra Club’s release, it believes the latest route adds 20 miles through new areas, especially in Bucks County, “adding waterways such as wetlands and streams that will be disturbed that wouldn’t have been beforehand.”Kornick made it clear this is not the case.“When other mitigation measures are available, it is ludicrous to suggest that PennEast would propose adding 20 miles to the length of the project and to cross the Delaware River not once, but twice,” she said. “He (Jeff Tittel) either was sloppy in his reading of PennEast’s response or he intentionally misrepresented it.”Tittel claims the pipeline would “threaten the entire Delaware Valley including 91 acres of wetlands and over 44 miles of forest; over 1,600 acres total.”“This is a serious project that will affect many people on both sides of the river,” he said.PennEast, however, believes the pipeline will reduce natural gas and electricity costs in the region, improve reliability and promote economic growth.A final environmental impact statement on the project is expected from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by February. May 18 is the deadline for federal agencies to comment on the project and issue necessary permits.