The owners of the Constitution natural gas pipelinehave pushed back the start of the line's expected operation at least six months, from the end of 2016 to the second half of 2017.
The company blamed the delay on a "rapidly closing environmental window" to cut trees along the line's planned route in New York.
Limits imposed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allow Constitution to cut trees only between 1 November and 31 March in order to protect migratory songbirds and the northern long-eared bat.
Constitution already has cut trees along about 25 miles of the pipeline's route in Pennsylvania, but has been unable to start work in New York.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is still considering necessary water quality permits, and without those permits, Constitution cannot legally cut trees.
The pipeline is a partnership of Houston-based Cabot Oil and Gas Corp; Williams, an Oklahoma-based energy company; Piedmont Natural Gas, and WGL Holdings.
The proposed pipeline would run 124 miles, delivering low-cost gas from Pennsylvania’s shale gas fields to New York and New England.
Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner
Sources: Times Union, Scranton Times-Tribune