Assemblymember Anna Kelles is urging Governor Kathy Hochul and the state’s environmental agency to reject the controversial NESE pipeline for a third time.
The $1.4 billion fossil fuel project was denied by New York in both 2018 and 2020. Now, after a private meeting between Hochul and former President Trump, the company behind the pipeline has submitted the same proposal again — without any changes.
Kelles said the Northeast Supply Enhancement project would raise utility bills, damage ecosystems, and force families to fund an “unnecessary” project that mainly benefits corporate profits.
“This pipeline alone will hike the cost to ratepayers by 3.5%, while destroying the quality of their water, and for some their livelihood,” she said.
A history of rejections
The Department of Environmental Conservation originally denied the project in 2018, citing risks to water quality and marine life. A revised version was rejected again in 2020 — the same day New Jersey also denied it.
The agency cited threats to fish habitats, tidal wetlands, and benthic communities. Construction would disturb more than 23 miles of seabed, potentially releasing toxic pollutants like PCBs, heavy metals, and dioxins.
Despite those findings, the pipeline’s developer, Williams, resubmitted its original plan in May — with no changes.
The cost to New Yorkers
If approved, National Grid customers would pay an estimated $200 million per year for the next 15 years. That’s in addition to already-rising utility costs and a record number of shutoffs across the state.
Kelles called the economic reasoning behind the project flawed, pointing out that demand has remained stable while energy efficiency measures continue to reduce costs for households and businesses.
“Natural gas isn’t the answer if we want affordability and energy independence,” she said.
A cleaner path forward
Kelles pointed to major investments in renewable energy as a better alternative. That includes $636 million recently approved for clean energy projects and National Grid’s $4 billion “Upstate Upgrade” to modernize the power grid.
She also warned that degrading wetlands and waterways could cost taxpayers even more in the long run — from storm damage to increased insurance premiums.
“The DEC was right to reject this pipeline five years ago,” Kelles said. “The DEC and Governor Hochul must do so again.”
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