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Construction of the Constitution Pipeline Delayed

3/31/2016 | Construction Blog

The developer of the Constitution Pipeline, designed to carry natural gas from the Marcellus Shale areas in northeastern Pennsylvania to New York State and New England, has been delayed. The pipeline was to have been placed in service by the end of this year, but now will not be completed until at least the second half of 2017. The 124 mile pipeline would help ease a shortage of pipelines carrying abundant natural gas from Northeastern Pennsylvania to customers in New York and New England. When constructed, it would be the first direct path linking the Marcellus basin with New York and New England consumers.

The current reason for the delay is the developer’s inability to complete tree cutting by a March 31 federal deadline that was designed to protect migratory birds. However, the pipeline has also been delayed by residents in Susquehanna county who have opposed eminent domain proceedings to access land for the pipeline construction and because of problems securing water quality certificates from New York State and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.