WEST AMWELL -- The proposed $1 billion PennEast natural gas pipeline will be put to public scrutiny Thursday during the only regional forum scheduled for New Jersey and environmental leaders have called for opponents to rally against the project.



"We encourage people to express their concerns about this project," said Lynda Farrell, of Pipeline Safety Coalition, during a conference call Wednesday organized by environmental groups. She noted that opportunities to directly engage PennEast officials are dwindling.

The New Jersey open house is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the South Hunterdon Regional High School gymnasium in West Amwell. The company held two other open houses in Pennsylvania this week, and has another scheduled for next week.

Pat Kornick, a spokeswoman for PennEast, said that Thursday's open house will allow residents to speak directly with experts in different topics related to the pipeline.



"We also know that people have additional questions and people want more detail," Kornick said, adding that the project remains its early stages with formal filing for federal approval not expected until next summer.



The 36-inch pipeline would run roughly 100 miles from northeastern Pennsylvania through Hunterdon County and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County.

Local officials in Mercer and Hunterdon counties have already voiced opposition to the project, citing environmental concerns along the pipeline path. But the decision will ultimately rest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

During a conference call on Wednesday to rally opponents in advance of the open house, officials from the the Sierra Club and the Delaware Riverkeeper urged local residents to avoid signing property easements to force PennEast to reconsider the current pipeline path.

PennEast gave presentations at public meetings in several towns including Hopewell earlier this year, and took questions from public officials and residents. PennEast officials have repeatedly pointed to the regional open houses as key forums for people to learn more about the project.

But environmental leaders said Wednesday they have cautioned residents about the one-on-one nature of the forums without broader opportunity for residents to hear shared concerns voiced by neighbors.



"We really want to alert people to the divide and conquer strategy that's used at open houses," said Maya Van Rossum, of the Delaware Riverkeeper. "The open house structure we have now really is about private conversations between individuals."

PennEast has has touted the pipeline as being capable supplying enough low-cost natural gas to provide service to 4.7 million homes and has said that the construction project will create about 2,000 jobs. On the company’s current schedule, the pipeline would likely be completed in about three years.

PennEast is a joint venture of AGL Resources, NJR Pipeline Co., PSEG, South Jersey Industries, Spectra Energy Services and UGI Energy Services.

The open house Thursday will be in South Hunterdon Regional High School's gymnasium. The School is located at 301 Mount Airy-Harbourton Road in West Amwell.

Kornick said PennEast plans more outreach efforts in the future, though none are currently scheduled.

Brendan McGrath may be reached at bmcgrath@njtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @brendanrmcgrath. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.