DELAWARE TWP. – The PennEast Pipeline Co. would like to start construction in 2017, but the Delaware Township Committee has promised a fight to prevent it.

The anti-pipeline resolution was passed at 11 p.m. yesterday after a long meeting in the township school’s gym attended by an estimated 400 residents. Many lined up at a microphone for their turn to question PennEast representatives, and for the chance to express fear, outrage or suspicion. The spectators applauded their fellows when they felt a telling blow had been struck and they jeered the PennEast panelists' responses.

PennEast wants to build a $1 billion pipeline to transport a billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from Luzerne County, Pa., to Mercer County, N.J. It would pass through Hunterdon County, following a proposed path through the townships of Holland, Alexandria, Kingwood, Delaware and West Amwell.

The pipeline had been announced as being 30 inches in diameter, but it was said Monday night that additional shippers are showing interest, so a 36-inch pipeline may be in order.

The PennEast presentation, early in the meeting, was given by Alisa Harris, who handles government and community affairs for the company. She said the construction would take 10 months and give temporary employment to 2,000 people. The natural gas transported would be for use in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and would not be forwarded to New England or sent overseas.

She said that the tentative route was chosen to minimize impact and that as surveying is done and input is received from federal, state and local governments, the route is undergoing constant readjustment. “It’s literally changing every day,” she said. Some of the factors being considered are existing structures, archaeological sites, soils and topography.

PennEast is seeking permission from landowners to survey their land along a nearly half-mile-wide corridor through the township. That includes a 400-foot core area, with 1,000 feet of abutting land on either side. So a lot of landowners have been notified.

PennEast hopes to submit a pre-file application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission around Nov. 1, hold informational open houses this year, file a formal application in July of 2015, receive FERC’s final decision in December of 2016, begin construction in 2017, and put the pipeline into use just before that winter.

Harris and other members of the PennEast panel said the landscape would be restored, but no trees or structures would be allowed on the right of way. The welded joints would be X-rayed to detect flaws, thicker pipes would be used than are required, gas pressure would be monitored to detect leaks, shut-off valves would be installed every 10 miles, and the pipe would be inspected annually.

In a five-year period, an estimated $5.2 million would be paid in property taxes for the Delaware Township section, she said. Later in the meeting, Township Committeewoman Kristin McCarthy said the township assessor said tax revenue of $400,000 a year is more realistic.

Project manager Tony Cox said the tax bill is subject to an assessment, which is not under PennEast’s control. Harris said, “Our tax consultant will sit down with your assessor” to re-examine the numbers.

The meeting was conducted by Mayor Ken Novak, who tried to get residents to speak briefly and ask questions relevant to Delaware Township. Township Committeeman Roger Locandro recused himself from the proceedings because he has six properties that could be affected by the project.

It was made clear that if the federal government OKs the pipeline, anyone who does not make a deal to sell an easement to PennEast would be compelled to yield at a price to be determined by the authorities.

Residents pointed out that few residents in the township have access to natural gas, but would have to undergo physical danger, reduced property values and environmental impact of living with the pipeline. But many residents probably do use electricity generated by natural-gas burning power plants, PennEast reps said.

Residents doubted the quality of the restoration, mentioned the threat of terrorist attack, questioned the need for the pipeline, condemned fracking, spoke of poor crop yields on restored farmland, and said the pipeline should go south through Bucks County in Pennsylvania instead of through Hunterdon. Students spoke out advising respect for the township's fragile ecosystems and animal habitats.

Debbie Bradley said the pipeline could pass within 400 feet of her home. She asked the PennEast representatives what would be the “kill zone”? “If there’s an explosion, will my family be here the next day?”

That information was not immediately available, but in response to another question, Dante D’Alessandro of UGI Energy Service, which is one of the PennEast partners, said PennEast would supply training to police, fire and rescue personnel, devise an emergency plan, and make annual donations.

Resident Alix Bacon presented a map showing the route that the pipeline would take and said, “You’re telling me you haven’t targeted preserved farmland!?”

D’Alessandro said the route had been roughed out using Google Earth aerial views “to tie point A to point B,” using open areas. And that now it is being learned that much of the route is through preserved properties, “we are trying to see if we can avoid them.”

Bacon said that $7 million of federal, state, county and township money had been invested in preserving the land in the path of the pipeline in Delaware Township "and that's just the taxpayer investment … landowners made the choice to preserve their land," often selling at below market value "because they wanted to keep their land clean for their grandchildren, they wanted to be able to farm it, they wanted the woodlands to be undisturbed and the waterways to run clean. And I want to know how you are going to compensate all these people?"

A PennEast spokesman said the company is just asking to use it, not purchase it. It would be restored, and farming and other uses could resume.

After the PennEast contingent had left, state Assembly members Jack Ciattarelli and Donna Simon promised to use their influence to help keep the pipeline out of Delaware Township.

Then the Township Committee passed a resolution vowing to fight the pipeline. It had been drafted by Committeewoman McCarthy, who has been leading the township’s opposition to the pipeline. Novak said that the township would be an “intervener” in the FERC approval process and that residents can be part of that effort, too.

The next morning McCarthy announced that she would not seek re-election in November, so she could devote all of her available time and energy to fighting the pipeline.

A community group, Citizens Against the Pipeline, is also in the fray.