A $1 billion, 100-mile-long Marcellus gas pipeline is expected to slice through Carbon County east of Jim Thorpe, according to a map of the proposed project released by developer Penn-East Pipeline Company of Berks County.

The project is in the early planning stages, too soon to determine an exact route, said company spokeswoman Patricia Kornick.The pipe would carry 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day, and would run from Luzerne County through Carbon, Northampton and Bucks counties to Trenton, New Jersey.It could be built as early as 2017.Lower Towamensing Township is among the municipalities the pipeline will cut through.According to the map, it also appears that the pipeline will cut through Towamensing and Penn Forest or Kidder townships.A secretary at Towamensing Township said this morning the township is aware of the pipeline. The zoning officer has been in contact with representatives from the pipeline, and is in the process of setting up a meeting next week with them.A clerk from Kidder Township said the township is aware of the pipeline, but officials do not believe the pipe will cut through the township.Efforts to reach Penn Forest Township in time for today's publication were unsuccessful.Lower Towamensing board of supervisors Chairman Brent Green announced Tuesday that the township was contacted by UGI Energy Services.Four entities, AGL Resources, NJR Pipeline Company (a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources), South Jersey Industries and UGI Energy Services (UGIES), a subsidiary of UGI Corporation, will share the cost of the project.UGIES is the project manager for the development of the project and will operate the pipeline.The company must obtain a federal Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, in addition to various state and local permits, before construction can start.Deciding the route is a multistep process, factoring in environmental impact, obtaining rights of way, and efficiency.The company will evaluate several routes before settling on the one it believes is best.The pipeline will most likely be buried 30-36 inches, from the top of the pipe to the surface.Additional cover is used under roads and water, while less is used (but at least 18 inches), under rock.In special cases, for example, under land that is farmed, the pipe is buried 48 to 60 inches down.The work area along the pipelines can range from 90 feet to 125 feet."In response to the abundant supplies and low price of natural gas, customer demand has increased significantly," said John Walsh, President and CEO of UGI Corporation."This project serves to meet that growing demand in the mid-Atlantic marketplace, while providing greater system resiliency and reliability for local utilities."For more information, access the company's pipeline website at

http://penneastpipeline.com/index.php.Have you been contacted about the pipeline going through your property? Let us know. Send an email to

tneditor@tnonline.com or call 610-377-2051, ext. 3141.Terry Ahner contributed to this report.