This is part XI (!) of the 3D Flyover video series of the proposed PennEast Pipeline route.

This one is a look at another one of the Important Bird Area (IBA) Avoidance Routes, specifically the one that avoids the Holland/Milford area in NJ and instead routes through Bucks County.

The potential route is in transparent red, we fly a few hundred meters above it.  The route is shown in a 350′ wide zone of uncertainty, given the coarse natures of the maps provided by PennEast.

The video starts at the Delaware River and heads North.  So at the very beginning we go straight up a very steep climb, then continues going up and down some modest hills.  It then heads out through old growth forests, paralleling a narrow power line cut.

After a long path through forests, it gets dramatic around 2:10.  There the route goes right to the very edge of the Delaware River bluffs on the PA side.   Just before turning left you can see the Gilbert generating plant across the river in NJ and the Gilbert interconnect route to get to it.

The route then teeters on the very edge of the bluffs, like the Man in Black peering down from the Cliffs of Insanity.

After the bluffs, it dives into PA heading out through farm country.

It terminates at the interconnect at Route 78.

As with all of the IBA Avoidance alternatives, the routing choices are just nuts.  It’s clear that PennEast put nearly zero effort into the routing.

This is part of the 3D flyover video series of the PennEast routes. In this installment, we look at the route in the Delaware Township vicinity.

As always, the 400′ survey corridor is in smokey gray, the pipeline 50′ permanent easement line is in red, and the light blue areas are temporary construction zones. There is also a 100′ construction right of way not shown here.

This is part of the 3D flyover video series of the PennEast routes. In this installment, we look at the route in the Kingwood Township vicinity.

As always, the 400′ survey corridor is in smokey gray, the pipeline 50′ permanent easement line is in red, and the light blue areas are temporary construction zones. There is also a 100′ construction right of way not shown here.

This is part of the 3D flyover video series of the PennEast routes. In this installment, we look at the route between Milford and Frenchtown.

As always, the 400′ survey corridor is in smokey gray, the pipeline 50′ permanent easement line is in red, and the light blue areas are temporary construction zones. There is also a 100′ construction right of way not shown here.

This is part of the 3D flyover video series of the PennEast routes. In this installment, we look at the Appalachian Trail crossing of the project in Pennsylvania.

As always, the 400′ survey corridor is in smokey gray, the pipeline 50′ permanent easement line is in red, and the light blue areas are temporary construction zones. There is also a 100′ construction right of way not shown here.

In the video, we approach the trail from the South East.  Just as it approaches the upgrade, the route turns sharply to the West, paralleling the trail for some distance.  All of this portion is green field development through old growth forest.  No co-location in site.

It then turns north again and climbs up the mountain (again all through old growth forest).  Near the top is a 700 HDD section (visible in the video where there are no light blue temporary work spaces), the one sop given to the trail.

It then follows some of the Blue Mountain resorts roads for a bit along the ridge, then plunges seemingly straight down the mountain side.

Don’t let the HDD portion fool you.   The AT corridor in this area will be permanently scarred by the 100′ clear cut route of the pipeline on either side of the trail, and the use of HDD means the part closest to the trail will have the greatest impacts (due to HDD entry and exit sites requiring a lot of space).  Trail walkers along the ridge will see the permanent scar running parallel to the mountain to the north and south, thanks to PennEast’s brilliant routing.

This is part of the 3D flyover video series of the PennEast routes. In this installment, we start at Route 78 near the Lehigh River, follow the HDD there, then we proceed on to another HDD, this one emerging in the middle of a Lowes Shopping Center parking lot (!). We continue on showing a very skinny zone between some PADOT facilities and Route 33.

As always, the 400′ survey corridor is in smokey gray, the pipeline 50′ permanent easement line is in red, and the light blue areas are temporary construction zones. There is also a 100′ construction right of way not shown here.

For the record, no, I don’t know how in the world PennEast thinks this is safe or reasonable.  The traffic and lifestyle impacts in this area are going to be horrendous.