The consortium of companies seeking to build a 120-mile-long natural gas pipeline in Pennsylvania and New Jersey has won a federal court case over its right to eminent domain.

The ruling allowing the company to build is welcome news for the pipeline industry, which has been dealt a series of setbacks pertaining to other pipelines in the country.

Eminent domain is a two-part process in Pennsylvania, PennEast spokeswoman Patricia Kornick explained. The ruling Dec. 5 enables PennEast to complete land surveys and environmental assessments on land whose owners have resisted granting PennEast access. The second part of Pennsylvania eminent domain involves condemning land and providing the owner fair compensation.

After initially hoping to begin construction this year, PennEast anticipates beginning to build the pipeline around mid-2019. Construction would last about seven months before the pipeline is operational.