Federal regulators have initiated a formal environmental review of the Constitution pipeline, a controversial project designed to transport natural gas from Pennsylvania’s shale beds to markets in New York and New England.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a notice opening a public scoping period for the 124-mile (200 km) project. The move follows a request from the Williams Cos. and Iroquois Gas Transmission System to reissue certificates for the pipeline and the related Wright Interconnect project.

The Constitution project was canceled in 2020 following years of legal and regulatory hurdles, but was revived last year, with proponents, including the Trump administration, arguing that the infrastructure is essential for lowering energy costs in the Northeast.

According to the FERC notice, the commission will prepare a fresh environmental analysis to evaluate the potential impacts of the 30-inch-diameter pipeline. This review will update the findings of a 2014 environmental impact statement.

"The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis on the important environmental issues," the commission stated. 

FERC has requested that public comments, due by May 4, focus on environmental effects and "reasonable alternatives" to the current proposal.

The planned 200-kilometer pipeline project would include two-meter stations, two interconnections, and 11 mainline valves, providing up to 650,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas. 

While the pipeline is intended to link Pennsylvania supply to existing interstate systems via the Wright Interconnect, it faces scrutiny over its footprint, with construction expected to disturb approximately 1,872 acres of land.

Only about 9% of the proposed route parallels existing utility or road rights-of-way, meaning the majority of the project will require new corridors through Pennsylvania and New York.

The commission's analysis will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to determine if the project meets federal standards for authorization.