(New York, N.Y.) Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration has approved construction of the long-debated Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline, a project expected to deliver fuel from Pennsylvania to Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. The decision, announced Friday by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), reverses years of prior denials on environmental grounds.
As The Hill reported, Hochul said the move reflects an “all-of-the-above” strategy to prevent downstate energy shortages projected as early as next summer. “As Governor, a top priority is making sure the lights and heat stay on for all New Yorkers,” she said, adding that the project met state and federal legal standards.
Seventeen New York Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, urged Hochul to block the project, citing risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) called the approval “profoundly disappointing,” warning it could disturb contaminated sediments containing arsenic and mercury.
The state previously rejected the pipeline three times, but DEC now says its revised design minimizes sediment disruption and environmental impact. The NESE line will cross through New Jersey and the Raritan and Lower New York Bays before reaching Queens.
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