Experts and activists distributed legal advice and comment strategies to local residents during a two-hour pipeline meeting Tuesday night at the Towamensing Fire Department.

Representatives from Save Carbon County, Homeowners Against Land Takings, and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation joined forces to educate affected homeowners and concerned residents about the upcoming PennEast pipeline project.Kidder Township resident Chuck Weber led the meeting, which focused on informing people of their legal rights in combating the project, as well as instructions on how to draft letters of opposition (otherwise known as "comments") to the Draft Environment Impact Statement."We have a consortium of people from all groups, political backgrounds, and areas, and they're here to protect our neighborhoods. That's all it's about," Weber said.Weber introduced Harrisburg resident and Lavery Law Firm attorney Peter Carfley, who went over multiple legal points and fielded questions from the audience on the subjects of property rights, surveying by PennEast, and strategies for the future.The DEIS for the pipeline project, which was published by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 22, is a 1,700-page document that has been criticized for lacking necessary surveys and information regarding the land the pipeline will be constructed on."It's been a clinic by PennEast on how not to do community outreach," Carfley said.A portion of Carfley's presentation focused on the potential for PennEast to claim eminent domain over properties, and how the affected residents could challenge them in court. Most of all, he recommended that residents share information with one another, especially if they notice survey crews from the companies on neighbors' properties when the landowner has not provided them with permission to be there.HALT's Mike Spille, a New Jersey resident, handled the next part of the meeting, which centered on how to construct an effective comment for submission to FERC."The DEIS is the legal record for any disputes against PennEast. If you want to challenge this in court, you have to have a comment in the DEIS," Spille said. "We're aiming to get over 10,000 comments if possible, across the whole region, and we think that's very doable."Spille said the two main goals of the DEIS comments would focus on showing that the DEIS itself was incomplete - such as the fact that approximately 27 percent of Pennsylvania wetlands in the pipeline vicinity were not surveyed yet - in addition to showing that FERC was not adhering to its own technical regulations.He displayed a sample comment, making note of wording, necessary information, focus upon a single topic of interest (for example, pointing out that the pipeline runs too close to a resident's well), and additional documentation to include.Most of all, Spille emphasized not giving up when it comes to submitting comments, even if the FERC website proves problematic."I've been a software engineer for 28 years, and it's taken me five times to submit my first comment," he said.FERC will be holding a pipeline hearing from 6-10 p.m. Aug. 15 at Penn's Peak. People are encouraged to arrive at 5:45 p.m. to reserve a place in the speaking order. It has been indicated that this may not be a group meeting, but a one-on-one meeting with a stenographer taking testimony. Save Carbon County and other groups will be holding their own public meetings outside the venue.