MEDINA, Ohio -- Inaction by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in approving the proposed Nexus pipeline before one of the commissioners retired last week was good news to area residents who oppose the project.

"This lack of action by the (FERC) commission can be viewed as confirmation on our position that there is no purpose or need for Nexus," said Paul Gierosky, co-founder of the Coalition to Reroute Nexus [CORN], a grassroots group of Medina, Lorain and Summit county landowners that oppose the 255-mile pipeline project. The pipeline would ship natural gas from eastern Ohio to Northern Michigan and Ontario, Canada.

But Nexus spokesman Adam Parker said he's confident the project isn't dead. He said in an email that the company is committed to "placing the project in service in the fourth quarter of 2017. We are working with our contractors to ensure a safe and responsible construction plan is in place to achieve it."

Nexus had hoped to start pipeline construction early this year and finish by November. Officials said they needed certification of the project in order to start and finish this year.

The push to get certification began after news that FERC member Norman Bay was leaving the three-member commission and that a quorum was needed to approve the pipeline. Because no action was taken, certification will be delayed until a new commissioner is appointed and approved by congress, which could take months.

CORN representatives said again Monday that every delay in approving the pipeline is a victory.

"There is no need for Nexus in Ohio where they have one tiny customer (for the natural gas) representing 3 percent of the capacity of the project," Gierosky said.

Last week, CORN asked FERC to deny a request by Nexus owners to fast-track approval of the project. CORN maintains the pipeline would cut through hundreds of private properties in Ohio and Michigan.

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