New York’s Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul has just dealt a blow to the Left by signing a permit that will advance a significant gas pipeline project that garnered backing from President Donald Trump.
Disputes between environmentalist interests and those working to enhance the reliability of America’s power grid are nothing new.
However, the standoff in the key state of New York has just concluded in favor of the latter.
As the Daily Caller reports, Hochul’s move has drawn the ire of activists and liberal lawmakers alike.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) issued the aforementioned permit, reversing a series of prior rejections.
At issue is the Northeast Supply enhancement pipeline.
The project that has been the subject of opposition from the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and other Empire State lawmakers, who suggested that potential environmental fallout from the endeavor was too much to risk.
Hochul, however, stood firm in the face of those critics, saying in a statement:
“As Governor, a top priority is making sure the lights and heat stay on for all New Yorkers as we face potential energy shortages downstate as soon as next summer.”
The governor continued:
“We need to govern in reality.
“We are facing war against clean energy from Washington Republicans, including our New York delegation, which is why we have adopted an all-of-the-above approach that includes a continued commitment to renewables and nuclear power to ensure grid reliability and affordability.”
According to NYSDEC, the project, if seen through to completion, will encompass an underwater pipeline that will cover roughly 24 miles and transport natural gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey, with parts of New York City as its final destination.
Though the president and members of his administration have long pushed for more pipeline infrastructure on the East Coast, Hochul is facing backlash from members of her own party who have been voicing concerns about this particular project for quite some time.
As the Times Union in Albany reports, Democrat state Sen. Peter Harckham, chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, declared:
“I am extremely disappointed in today’s ruling regarding the NESE pipeline.”
He further opined that New York authorities would be better served focusing on fast-tracking renewable energy projects rather than greenlighting an endeavor of this nature.
Adding his voice to those criticizing Hochul’s decision was Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), who lamented in a press release:
“I am profoundly disappointed by New York State’s decision to approve the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) fracked-gas pipeline.”
Nadler cited a series of what he characterized as grave environmental threats posed by the project and said that over “120 environmental, civic, and faith-based organizations from across New York have spoken out against the NESE pipeline.”
Despite the critiques on the left, approval of the permit was not without its backers, a group that included the New York State Building Trades Council and a host of economic development advocates.
Those supporters noted in a letter to the governor their belief that “by enhancing system reliability during peak demand and extreme weather events, NESE will help ensure that no family or business is left without heat or power when it matters most.”
The Trump administration was so supportive of this and other pipeline projects that reports suggested that a work-stop order on an offshore wind farm was lifted by the White House in exchange for Hochul’s sign-off on the NESE permit.
Although the governor has denied such an arrangement, the president’s position on the importance of this endeavor is clear.
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