BY JARRAD HEDES

jmhedes@tnonline.comArea residents have not been silent with their concerns over the proposed natural gas pipeline that could be snaking its way through Carbon County by late 2017.The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the organization with oversight of intrastate pipelines such as the one PennEast Pipeline Company plans to run from Wilkes-Barre to New Jersey, has been accepting positive or negative comments about the project on its website,

www.ferc.gov.While a majority of the comments on the 108-mile pipeline have come from New Jersey residents, several people in Carbon County are speaking out.Barbara Griffith of Jim Thorpe described the Pocono Mountain region as one of the most environmentally beneficial wooded areas still available to mankind."This project not only impacts land values and aesthetics, but ultimately will devour what is still accessible and vital to our daily lives," Griffith said. "As more and more pipelines are permitted to continue this debacle, more lives will be negatively impacted in order for other lives to reap the benefits in other states as well as other countries, as the gas is most assuredly for export to Europe."Albrightsville resident Sondra Wolferman cited several environmental factors she feels FERC should consider before taking a position on the project.The projected route of the pipeline, she said, crosses the Mud Swamp natural area in Hickory Run State Park along the western edge of the marsh near the outlet to Stony Creek. In the same vicinity the PennEast Pipeline crosses Mud Run, a Class A wild trout stream with a self-sustaining population of native brook trout and a major tributary to the Lehigh River."Hydrology studies show the clearing of vegetation along the banks of streams or adjacent to wetlands immediately changes the hydrology of the water in a number of ways including raising the temperatures of small streams by as much as 6 -12 degrees above normal which is well beyond optimum levels for trout habitat, raising the acidity level of the water which can kill aquatic life, and the increased potential for erosion and polluted runoff to enter the waterways," Wolferman said.Approximately 15 miles south of Hickory Run, the proposed pipeline slices through Beltzville State Park just east of the confluence of Wild Creek and Pohopoco Creek near the inlet to Beltzville Lake, putting all three waterways at risk for increased erosion, sedimentation, and contamination from polluted runoff, said Juliet Perrin, of Albrightsville."The route also crosses watershed lands of the Aquashicola Creek in Lower Towamensing Township, an area that provides habitat to federally endangered bog turtles," Perrin said. "Carbon County's tourist and outdoor recreation industries provide jobs to residents and bring revenue to local businesses. Fouling these lands with natural gas infrastructure will be of no benefit to the region and is a slap in the face to the many Carbon County residents whose livelihoods depend on the high quality of our public lands and waterways."Others are briefer in their disdain for the project."I live in Towamensing Township on Route 209 and received a registered letter letting me know that my property parcel directly abuts the proposed pipeline," said William Kellner of Lehighton. "I am against the pipeline for safety reasons as well as it is just wrong for the environment."Western Land Services contacted fellow Lehighton resident Joseph Seemiller to inform him his property on Forest Street could be affected."If the pipeline crosses through my lot at any point other than the rear boundary, it will become worthless and I will continue to be liable for taxes and community dues," he said. "I purchased this lot 21 years ago as an investment for my children and their education, and have paid taxes and dues ever since. I believe that dividing it with a gas pipeline will put an undue financial burden on the property owners."PennEast spokeswoman Patricia Kornick has said the company is taking into account all of the concerns of affected landowners."From the start, we have said we are looking at all options to identify the best route," she said, noting that the route has already changed several times and likely will several more due to environmental or other factors.FERC has scheduled a public input session for 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at Penn's Peak. Written comments can be submitted by using the E-Comment section of FERC's website,

www.ferc.gov, or by sending them to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St. NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC.Anyone with questions may contact PennEast's toll-free line at 844-347-7119 or visit

www.penneastpipeline.com.