TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have granted environmental permits for a Tulsa-based natural gas supplier's pipeline project.

The Tulsa World reports the Williams Partners pipeline project is a nearly $3 billion expansion of the existing Transco natural gas pipeline. It'll be extended to connect Marcellus Shale gas supplies in northeastern Pennsylvania to markets in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions of the country.

Williams also received approval to put a portion of the project into operation early.

The expa...