Carbon County officials are hoping recent discussions with UGI PennEast representatives will open a better line of communication with landowners.

Last week, Commissioner William O’Gurek, who took the lead for the commissioners on this matter of meeting with UGI, outlined his finds regarding recent concerns about the PennEast Pipeline project that were brought before the board two weeks ago.

He said that he spoke with a representative of UGI about the residents’ concerns, which included a 93-year-old woman losing her spring, which supplies water to her home; the pipeline going through the septic system and utilities of another homeowner; and more.

O’Gurek said with regard to the spring property, there wasn’t much he could discuss publicly because the homeowner, Albertine Anthony, has retained a lawyer and negotiations are currently under way.

He said UGI stated the company is trying to deal with landowners with sincere effort, but concerns that were aired at the commissioners’ meeting two weeks ago said otherwise.

O’Gurek said that through the discussion, he is hoping it helped open a better line of communications between UGI and the landowners along the proposed pipeline route.

He said he stressed to UGI that they should be more forthcoming with the landowners and have a more transparent approach.

“Hopefully those things evolve,” he said.

Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said that the board’s goal is to make sure the residents have a safe and healthy environment where they live.

Two weeks ago, members of Save Carbon County approached the commissioners, again asking for help because their pleas were not being heard by PennEast.

The residents have been battling the pipeline since the project was announced and a route released.

Most recently in January, the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission granted PennEast a certificate of public convenience and necessity, enabling the construction and operation of its proposed pipeline, which is set from Luzerne County to Mercer County, New Jersey.

Less than a month later, PennEast filed 44 eminent domain lawsuits in federal court, 11 of which were for properties in Carbon County.

But PennEast’s progress has been slowed in part due to objections in New Jersey.

On Feb. 1, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection sent the company a letter rejecting its freshwater wetlands permit and federal water quality certification application, and the state also refused an offer from PennEast to purchase land needed for the pipeline’s construction.

Construction for the pipeline is slated to begin in 2019.