WASHINGTON - Would-be neighbors of a Chicago-to-New York natural gas pipeline begged federal regulators yesterday to kill the project, complaining that it would hurt the environment and reward a company that treated people badly.

Pipeline executive Cuba Wadlington stood, eyed the accusers and declared to all in the crowded hearing room that he had nothing to be ashamed of, and if his employees acted improperly people should complain to him.

"I am the face behind this project and this face will go anywhere, any time, to talk with any of you about this project,'' the chief executive officer of Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp., told opponents who came from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to air their complaints to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The commission is considering a proposal to move Canadian natural gas to the East Coast by building new 36-inch pipeline across almost all of northern Ohio and about a third of Pennsylvania to connect with existing pipelines on both ends. Some new lines also would have to be built in New Jersey.

Congressmen from all three states vigorously urged commissioners to deny the certification needed for the projects to go forward.

They were backed up by local officials, residents who said they would suffer if forced to allow the pipeline on their property, and by a competing pipeline company which said it could provide adequate natural gas without the disruption proposed by a partnership of Independence Pipeline Co., ANR Pipeline Co., Natural Fuel Gas Supply Corp. and Transcontinental.

Wood County (Ohio) Commissioner Timothy J. Brown described an elaborate system of 20-foot ditches, culverts, agricultural tiles, special surface grading and other drainage methods used to keep his county's rich farmland from reverting to its natural marshy condition.

"It's very important to us to keep that land from becoming a swamp again,'' he told the commissioners.

Farmers worry about fields not properly draining after being disrupted by a buried pipe, and elected officials worry about finding the money to repair hundreds of bridges and culverts that would be damaged by the large equipment brought in to lay the pipeline, he said.

Brown was accompanied by lawyer Jodie Stearns, who gave the regulators a list of a dozen landowners who she said were either intimidated by strong-arm tactics or lied about in documents describing whether they had granted access to surveyors or talked to the company about easements.

Wayne County, Ohio farmer Shirley Ream said she resented being told to take part of her land out of production to accommodate the pipeline.

"For almost 2 1/2 years you, FERC, and you, ANR, have made our life hell on Earth,'' she said. "Why deny us the right to own our own land?''

Chatham Township (N.J.) Mayor Joseph W. Reilly said he had numerous complaints from landowners who felt they were being bullied by pipeline company representatives in charge of getting signatures on easements and told the regulators they should investigate "devious, underhanded, snake-oil-salesman methods.''

"The tactics being used to coerce and scare unknowing members of the public are repugnant,'' he said. "Intimidation is the name of the game.''

Wadlington's response: "That's not our policy.''

"We have great respect for the landowners because we have to live with them for many, many years,'' he said.

He also told the regulators that his company had a great deal of experience in dealing with all kinds of environmental conditions during the course of operating 27,000 miles of pipeline.