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INVESTMENTS IN EQUITY INVESTEES | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract] |
INVESTMENTS IN EQUITY INVESTEES | 7. INVESTMENTS IN EQUITY INVESTEES NJR's investments in equity method investees include the following as of:
(Thousands) | December 31, 2019 | September 30, 2019
Steckman Ridge (1) | $ | 113,750 |  | $ | 114,428 |
PennEast | 88,481 |  | 85,840 |
Total | $ | 202,231 |  | $ | 200,268 |
(1) | Includes loans with a total outstanding principal balance of $70.4 million for both December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2019. The loans accrue interest at a variable rate that resets quarterly and are due October 1, 2023.
NJNG and Energy Services have entered into storage and park and loan agreements with Steckman Ridge. In addition, NJNG and Energy Services are each parties to a precedent capacity agreement with PennEast. See Note 16. Related Party Transactions for more information on these intercompany transactions. The Company, through its subsidiary NJR Pipeline Company, is a 20 percent investor in PennEast, a partnership whose purpose is to construct and operate a 120-mile natural gas pipeline that will extend from northeast Pennsylvania to western New Jersey. PennEast received a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the project from FERC on January 19, 2018. On September 10, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued an order overturning the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey’s order granting PennEast condemnation and immediate access in accordance with the Natural Gas Act to certain properties in which the State of New Jersey holds an interest. A Petition for Rehearing was denied by the Third Circuit on November 5, 2019. On October 8, 2019, the NJDEP issued a letter indicating that it deemed PennEast’s freshwater wetlands permit application to be administratively incomplete and closed the matter without prejudice. On October 11, 2019, PennEast submitted a letter to the NJDEP objecting to its position that the application is administratively incomplete. PennEast's objections were rejected by the NJDEP on November 18, 2019. On October 4, 2019, PennEast filed a petition for Declaratory Order with FERC requesting an interpretation of the eminent domain authority of a FERC certificate holder under the Natural Gas Act. The Declaratory Order was granted on January 30, 2020. On January 30, 2020, PennEast filed an amendment with FERC to construct the PennEast pipeline in two phases. Phase one consists of construction of a 68-mile pipeline in Pennsylvania from the eastern Marcellus Shale region in Luzerne County that would terminate in Northampton County. Phase two includes construction of the remaining original certificated route in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Construction is expected to begin following approval by FERC of the phased approach and receipt of any remaining governmental and regulatory permits. PennEast was granted a 30-day extension to file a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States to review the September 10, 2019 Third Circuit decision and now expects to file a Petition of Certiorari before the March 4, 2020 deadline. At December 31, 2019, the Company evaluated its investment in PennEast for impairment and determined an impairment charge was not necessary. It is reasonably possible that future unfavorable developments, such as a reduced likelihood of success from development options and legal outcomes, estimated increases in construction costs, increases in the discount rate, or further significant delays, could result in an impairment of our equity method investment. Also, the use of alternate judgments and assumptions could result in a different calculation of fair value, which could ultimately result in the recognition of an impairment charge in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for equity method investments and joint ventures. Equity method investments are investments that give the investor the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of an investee. Joint ventures are entities owned and operated by a small group of businesses as a separate and specific business or project for the mutual benefit of the members of the group. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3A-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116822174&loc=d3e355119-122828 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2196965 + Details
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