New York’s blocked gas pipelines may move forward under Trump-Hochul energy deal
Hundreds of New Yorkers rallied last week as two previously rejected gas pipeline projects resurfaced amid a potential backroom deal between Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Trump administration.
Deep Vakil reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Oklahoma-based Williams Cos. revived two long-rejected pipeline proposals — NESE and Constitution — after the Biden-era offshore wind project off New York was halted, then resumed following reports of a compromise between Hochul and President Trump’s administration.
- The proposed NESE pipeline would extend 37 miles off the coast of New Jersey and Staten Island, while Constitution would carry fracked gas from Pennsylvania to upstate New York. Critics say both projects contradict New York’s emissions targets under its 2019 climate law.
- Environmental groups and political opponents, including Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, accuse Hochul of fast-tracking permits without public hearings and warn that the pipelines would lock in decades of fossil fuel use.
Key quote:
“It looks like Kathy Hochul is doing a dirty deal with Donald Trump. She’s fast-tracked the permitting process, not allowed public hearings and is limiting public participation in what looks to be a setup.”
— Pete Sikora, climate and inequality campaigns director at New York Communities for Change
Why this matters:
New York has pledged steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but expanding fossil fuel infrastructure runs counter to that goal. Gas pipelines like NESE and Constitution have decades-long lifespans, and their approval could prolong the state’s reliance on methane, a potent climate pollutant. Natural gas also emits CO₂ when burned and poses risks to water quality during construction. Public health experts link fossil fuel combustion to higher rates of asthma and heart disease. Meanwhile, federal rollbacks under Trump’s second term — including halted offshore wind and cutbacks to clean energy tax credits — further constrain states' ability to meet climate targets, making decisions like these all the more consequential.
Learn more: Trump moves to block state climate rules and lawsuits tied to fossil fuel emissions
