web1_Psycho-Nurse-2.jpg

CBGB regulars Psycho Nurse to play 30-year reunion show Oct. 24 at F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre

web1_casale.jpg

To your health: Blood clots

<p>DALLAS &#8211; Opponents of proposed large, high-pressure natural gas pipelines were in for a surprise Tuesday night when a man who identified himself as a pipeline worker spoke up to defend his industry during a meeting of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition.</p><p>When Robert Hughes, executive director of the Eastern Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, finished a presentation on the potential hazards of running the PennEast Pipeline under the Susquehanna River, Ed Seprish described the lengths pipeline contractors go to in order to assure safety. He said the PennEast project would use pipe with nearly one inch thick walls, with a coating designed to resist corrosion for 50 years.</p><p>In fact, Seprish said, pipelines have been in place beneath the Susquehanna since the 1950s without incident. Hughes acknowledged that he was not aware of them.</p><p>&#8220;What I&#8217;ve seen for 20 years, it&#8217;s as safe as it can be, except for human error,&#8221; Seprish said.</p><p>The last comment aroused the crowd of about 50 that included landowners whose property falls in the proposed routes of the PennEast and Atlantic Sunrise pipelines within Luzerne County, and GDAC President Scott Cannon had to calm things down before the program continued.</p><p>Hughes warned about the potential risks of disrupting the huge pools of mine water that sit below the surface of the Wyoming Valley. The PennEast route runs under the Susquehanna near Monocanock Island, between West Wyoming and Plains Township. He said mining maps may not be accurate in an area where 10 coal seams, some mined out with pillars removed, lie below about 140 feet of sediment.</p><p>&#8220;We believe the project needs to consider these underground workings,&#8221; Hughes said. &#8220;There should be some further hydrogeological investigations done in this area.&#8221;</p><p>His organization does not have the funds to do that, and Hughes thinks money should be allocated to pay for studies before construction begins.</p><p>Another concern is whether a pipeline that might run through a pool of acid mine water could last in those conditions, Hughes said.</p><p>In a second presentation, Peter Carfley, an attorney with Lavery Law in Harrisburg, described the process of negotiating easement rights.</p><p>&#8220;Do not be pressured into anything,&#8221; Carfley advised. &#8220;You have something they want, not vice versa.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re going to be stuck with that easement,&#8221; that can affect use of the property and possibly the ability to sell it in the future, he cautioned.</p><p>PennEast recently filed its formal application for the proposed line that originates in Dallas Township, runs down the eastern side of Luzerne County and terminates in Mercer County, New Jersey.</p><p>The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline, which skirts the northern edge of the county before turning south to a terminus in Lancaster County, is further along, with its owner, Williams, expecting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a draft environmental impact statement next month, said Chris Stockton, a Williams spokesman.</p><p>After a review period, Williams hopes to begin construction in July 2016, Stockton said.</p><p>Because both are interstate transmission lines, the companies could eventually take property from reluctant landowners by eminent domain, provided they pay &#8220;just compensation.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_Hughes_Robert.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hughes </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_Hughes_Robert.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hughes </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ron Bartizek</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>Learn more about the proposed natural gas pipelines</p><p>Atlantic Sunrise pipeline http://atlanticsunriseexpansion.com/</p><p>PennEast Pipeline www.PennEastPipeline.com</p><p>Read filings for the Atlantic Sunrise and Penn East pipelines at www.ferc.gov.</p><p>Put these terms in the search box:</p><p>Atlantic Sunrise: cp15-138</p><p>Penn East: cp15-558</p><p>You also can sign up to have comments and filings sent to you by email.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>The Times Leader newsroom may be reached at 570-829-7242.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Pipeline worker defends gas industry