A rifle-bearing man allegedly threatened a PennEast Pipeline Company crew on Tuesday, April 19, at about 10:30 a.m.
Holland Township Police were called.
PennEast said the three-team crew was parked on Milford-Warren Glen Road when the man approached the crew and asked the men if they were with the pipeline company.
When the crew members said yes, the man allegedly held up the rifle, began waving it in the air, shouted in opposition to the project and vowed that he would prevent it, according to a company press release.
Police identified the resident as Lester R. Kinney, 48, and charged him with brandishing a firearm and threatening the three subcontractors.
The crew was stopped to confirm property information about an authorized survey scheduled for the next day, according to the company.
Mr. Kinney was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a 2nd-degree crime, and terroristic threats, a 3rd-degree crime. Bail for the defendant was set at $5,000 with an option to put up 10 percent in cash.
According to Prosecutor Anthony Kearns III, “People are free to protest and voice their opinions on the pipeline project or any other issue but it must be conducted in a lawful manner.”
Peter Terranova, chair of the PennEast Board of Managers, said, “PennEast is committed to safety, which starts with ensuring the well-being of our team members, who simply are doing their jobs on properties where we have landowner permission. “We are thankful our team was able to return safely to their families without escalation of the situation.”
PennEast said it continues to conduct surveys with landowner permission. The surveys provide information the company says will ensure safe construction and operation of the pipeline.
Representing a $1 billion investment, the 118-mile, primarily 36-inch, underground pipeline would originate in Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania, and terminate at Transco’s pipeline interconnection near Pennington.
