Dozens of people, many wearing surgical masks, walked out of a hearing held in Lancaster Monday night on plans to offset air pollution that will be produced by construction of the controversial Atlantic Sunrise pipeline.

The walkout, involving about half the people at the hearing, came after the first speaker, Tim Spiese of Lancaster Against Pipelines, said the state Department of Environmental Protection has demonstrated again and again "that it prioritizes gas industry profits over the health and safety of Pennsylvania's people and natural environment," according to Lancasteronline.com.

The hearing addressed only the air quality plan proposed by Williams to offset air nitrogen oxide emissions from pipeline construction activities.

After the walkout, a group of about 70 people held their own hearing outside, according to NPR's State Impact report.

That left about 17 people to testify at the DEP hearing, about half of who represented unions in the pipeline industry and state manufacturing representatives, who advocated Williams air pollution plan, Lancasteronline reported.