Local residents continued to voice opposition Wednesday night for a proposed natural gas pipeline as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection considers two permits required for the project.

DEP officials held a virtual public hearing on erosion and sediment control, and water obstruction and encroachment permits for Phase 1 of the PennEast pipeline project in northeastern Pennsylvania, which is slated to run through parts of Carbon, Monroe and Northampton counties.

“This project offers no public benefit,” Linda Christman, of opposition group Save Carbon County, said during her testimony. “Pennsylvania already has energy security as we are a gas exporter. This project would cut through 96 water bodies and 130 wetlands, surely some of which could have been avoided entirely, but PennEast always chooses the cheapest routes and methods. It will take decades for preconstruction conditions to be restored.”

PennEast split the project into two phases after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit dealt a major blow to the pipeline in 2019 by rejecting a request for a rehearing on the use of eminent domain to acquire properties in New Jersey.

In September 2019, the court ruled that PennEast can’t use eminent domain to acquire 42 properties that are owned by the state and preserved for farmland or open space.

Phase 1 of the project, which PennEast officials said they hope to have in service by November 2021, entails around 68 miles of the pipeline from Dallas Township in Luzerne County to Bethlehem Township in Northampton County. It also includes construction of a 0.5-mile lateral of 4-inch diameter pipe in Carbon County to serve the Blue Mountain Resort, and a compressor station in Kidder Township.

“I think PennEast should need a new application since it is breaking the project into phases and they should need a new demonstration of public need,” said Dan Kunkle, representing the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. “This pipeline is a pig in the parlor and a thinly disguised attempt to get fracked gas from Pennsylvania to export facilities in New Jersey. If this is going to take place, 100 percent co-location of the pipeline should be required.”

State Sen. Katie Muth, who represents portions of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, said the permits are unnecessary given the fact the whole project may never be completed following Penn­East’s trouble in New Jersey.

“I am imploring DEP to make a tremendous effort to change the trajectory of the public’s trust in government regarding to protecting the environment. We have 70,000 miles of pipeline in the state already, all of which is lacking the oversight to make it even remotely safe.”

DEP officials drew much criticism Wednesday for not waiting to have the hearing until it was safe to do in person. Speakers, of which there were over 60, had three minutes to give remarks and were given verbal reminders when they had one minute and 30 seconds remaining.

“This project will negatively impact Pennsylvania ecosystems and the environment,” said Carol Etheridge of Lehighton. “Negative impacts have already been recorded during soil testing. It stands to reason that more damage will continue if the project is allowed to move forward.”

Most of the supporting comments during the hearing came from union workers who could potentially land work during construction of the pipeline and nonprofit organizations.

“PennEast will give the region much-needed reliability and stabilized energy prices during peak heating season,” said Christina Coleman, manager with the Greater Philadelphia Energy Action Team at The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “This is a significant infrastructure project that will play a key role in our economic recovery. It is also needed to reduce our carbon footprint. Objecting to these projects does not improve our circumstances.”

Carl Marrara, vice president of government affairs for the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, said natural gas demand is poised to increase by 40% over the next decade and projects like PennEast would help fill the gap.

“This would move 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas every day to where it is most needed to serve businesses and families,” Marrara said.

Representing the Marcellus Shale Coalition, Patrick Henderson said PennEast has worked in good faith, promising to monitor wells and water quality for nearby households along the project line.

“No soil will be stockpiled within wetlands,” Henderson said. “They are reducing the impact on public lands. They have met the rigorous standards of the department.”

DEP spokesperson Colleen Connolly said a regional office is currently reviewing the permits.