The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting Wednesday to accept comments and review the environmental impacts of a $53 million natural gas pipeline project proposal in Washington and Greene counties.

The project proposed by National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. would increase capacity of existing pipelines by 150 million cubic feet a day and enable the system to better carry natural gas from the quickly multiplying number of Marcellus shale deep wells in southwestern Pennsylvania.

"Local Marcellus shale producers need a way to get new production to market, and this will assist them," said Sandra James, a spokeswoman for National Fuel Gas. She said the company also is in the beginning planning stages for a new pipeline for Marcellus shale gas from Weedville in Elk County to Renovo in Clinton County, a distance of more than 50 miles.

According to company documents, the Line N Expansion Project in Greene County consists of a new 17.5-mile, 20-inch diameter pipeline and a new metering and regulating facility. Ms. James said another reason for that part of the project is to avoid longwall deep mines in the area that cause surface subsidence that could damage a pipeline.

One pipeline segment would begin at Interstate 70 and end at the Franklin-Morris township line. Segment two would run north of Route 18 at Old Concord and end at the Holbrook-Texas Eastern Compressor Station near Ryerson Station State Park.

In Washington County, a new 5,000-horsepower compressor station would be built on a secluded site near Goffeys Crossing Road in Buffalo Township, and a two-mile segment of 20-inch pipeline would be built to replace an existing line built in 1947 in East Finley, South Franklin and Buffalo townships.

According to a company timeline, it would begin negotiating rights of way in Greene County this spring, receive Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval in January 2011 and begin construction in spring 2011. In Washington County the company timeline anticipates federal approval in October of this year, and the start of construction in November.

A preliminary review of the pipeline plans by the commission has identified "potential visual and land use impacts that we think deserve attention."

After the scoping meeting this week and after National Fuel Gas files its formal application in the spring, the commission will conduct an environmental assessment to review impacts of the project on geology and soils, land use, recreation, water resources, fisheries, wetlands, vegetation and wildlife, air quality, noise, endangered species and public safety.

The public scoping meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Graysville Elementary School, 1029 W. Roy Furman Highway, Graysville, Greene County.

The public comment period on the project is open until March 22. The commission encourages electronic filing of comments and offers staff assistance at 1-202-502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov. Those wishing to file by mail should send comments to Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St. NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.

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