Lower Saucon Township PA Scoping Comments and Appendices under PF15-1.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BEFORE THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC PennEast Pipeline Project Docket No. PF15-1-000 COMMENTS OF LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND THE SCOPE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Via Electronic Filing to: Secretary Kimberly D. Bose Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street NE, Room 1A Washington, DC 20426 Charles W. Elliott, Esquire ELLIOTT & ELLIOTT Lower Saucon Township 26 N. 3rd Street 3700 Old Philadelphia Pike Easton, PA 18042 Bethlehem, PA. 18015 Telephone 610-252-4338 Telephone (610) 865-3291 charles.elliott@elliott-lawyers.com Fax (610) 867-3580 Counsel to Lower Saucon Township TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PURSUANT TO 40 C.F.R. 1501.7, FERC MUST IDENTIFY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS AND EIS RELATING TO THE IMPACT STATEMENT UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THE PENNEAST PIPELINE PROJECT.............................................................................................1 II. WE OBJECT TO THE TIMING OF THE SCOPING PROCESS AS PREMATURE ................................................................................................................................2 III. WE OBJECT TO TETRA-TECH AS THE EIS CONTRACTOR; TETRA-TECH IS PATENTLY BIASED, HAS AN INTEREST IN THE OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT, AND FEDERAL COURTS HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE OF MISCONDUCT AND DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION BY TETRA-TECH IN ITS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SERVICES. ....................................................................................................................................3 A. Tetra-Tech Has Corporate Interests that Should Disqualify It From Performing Services as FERCs Third-Party Contractor for Environmental Reviews of the PennEast Pipeline Project ............................................3 B. A Federal Court Has Found Evidence of Tetra-Tech Bias And Misconduct in the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the U.S.F.S. .................................................................................................8 C. Tetra-Tech Was Found to Have Destroyed Records Relating to Its EIS Work ..................................................................................................9 IV. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ......................................................................11 V. THE PIPELINE MAY ADVERSELY IMPACT RESOURCES WITHIN LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TOWNSHIP .................................................................................................................12 VI. THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT MUST INCLUDE A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED, SUPPORTED BY SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. .......................................................18 VII. THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT MUST INCLUDE A DETAILED ANALYSIS, SUPPORTED BY SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, OF ALL CONNECTED ACTIONS, ALL CUMULATIVE ACTIONS, ALL SIMILAR ACTIONS, ALL ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE NO ACTION