The Northampton Area School District Board of Directors has sent letters to state and federal officials, citing concerns "for the safety and well-being of our students and staff" because of the proximity of the proposed PennEast pipeline to Moore and George Wolf elementary schools.

According to the NASD letter signed by school board President David Gogel, the pipeline would be 1,900 feet from Moore, 2835 Mountain View Drive (Route 946), Moore Township, and 4,900 feet from George Wolf, 300 Allen St. (Route 512), Bath.

The school board's concerns relate to evacuation of students, teachers and administrators in the event of an emergency resulting from a pipeline mishap.

PennEast Pipeline LLC, a consortium that includes UGI Energy Services, wants to build the $1 billion, 114-mile, 36-inch natural gas underground pipeline from Dallas, Luzerne County, to Pennington, Mercer County, N.J., traversing Carbon, Northampton and Bucks counties.

Construction of the pipeline, pending approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), is to begin in 2017.

Copies of the school board's letters were requested by The Press and provided by NASD Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik.

Initially, concerns were only voiced about Moore Elementary, where approximately 600 students attend.

States the Moore Elementary letter:

"There is only one ingress and egress point into the school, which is Route 946. In addition, the school has an agreement with Covenant United Methodist Church, 2715 Mountain View Drive, which serves as a student and staff evacuation shelter in case of an emergency. The church is located within one mile of the proposed pipeline route.

"Due to the proximity of the proposed pipeline to Moore Elementary School, only one ingress and egress point, and the proximity of the proposed pipeline to Covenant United Methodist Church, the evacuation shelter for the school, the district is concerned for the safety and well-being of our students and staff of Moore Elementary School."

States the letter about George Wolf Elementary, which has approximately 660 students:

"The school has an agreement with St. John's Lutheran Church, 206 E. Main St., Bath, which serves as a student and staff evacuation shelter in case of an emergency. The church is located approximately one mile from the proposed pipeline route.

"Due to the proximity of the proposed pipeline to George Wolf Elementary School and the proximity of the proposed pipeline to St. John's Lutheran Church, the evacuation shelter for the school, the district is concerned for the safety and well-being of our students and staff of George Wolf Elementary School."

Each letter concludes:

"The Northampton Area School District Board of School Directors respectfully requests that the Federal Regulatory Commission and PennEast Pipeline partners examine the proposed route of the pipeline and make revisions as necessary to protect the safety of the students, staff, parents and volunteers of [Moore and George Wolf] Elementary School as well as residents of the surrounding area."

The NASD board sent letters Feb. 24 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), State Sen. Mario Scavello (R-40th), State Rep. Marcia Hahn (R-138th), State Rep. Julie Harhart (R-183rd), U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-15th) and U.S. Senators Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey.

As of the March 23 NASD school board meeting, when the letters were made public, the board received a letter in response dated March 5 from Toomey and received March 10.

In part, Toomey stated to Gogel:

"As with all pipeline projects, FERC will prepare an environmental impact statement.

"It has been my experience that accommodations can be made while the project is still in the preliminary stages," Toomey stated.

Toomey noted that planning and regulatory approvals could take two to three years.

"I understand your concerns about this project, which is undoubtedly an important issue for many Pennsylvanians.

"My staff will share your correspondence with our contacts at PennEast and ask that they give your concerns all due attention and consideration," Toomey's letter concluded.

The proposed route is subject to change before PennEast files a formal application with FERC, expected this summer. A preliminary application was filed with FERC in October 2014.

The pipeline route has been changed in the vicinity of the St. Luke's University Hospital-Anderson Campus, Bethlehem Township, near I-78 and the Lehigh River.

NASD school board members and administrators previously discussed the pipeline project at the Feb. 11 board meeting, when a resident raised concerns about the pipeline's proximity to Moore Elementary, and at the Nov. 24, 2014, board meeting, when Gogel reported on a Nov. 19, 2014, pipeline meeting he attended at the Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Company.

Gogel also attended a pipeline information meeting Feb. 5 at Covenant United Methodist Church, Bath.

An estimated 300 attended the Feb. 10 FERC hearing, the only one held in the Lehigh Valley, at Northampton Community College's main Green Pond Road campus.

The underground pipeline is to transport 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale region to provide energy for an estimated 4.7 million homes.

The pipeline is to be built through the townships of Moore, Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth, Bethlehem, Williams and Lower Saucon in Northampton County.