Opinion: Trump’s Pipelines Will Endanger New Yorkers’ Health and Safety

Short-term mistakes have long-term consequences Once built pipelines operate for decades undermining renewable investments and perpetuating environmental injustice A rally against a proposed Williams pipeline on the approaches of City Hall in March Two of the company s previously rejected projects are getting new consideration under the Trump administration to the dismay of environmentalists Jeff Reed NYC Council New York is once again under siege from the fossil fuel industry and this time they ve got President Donald Trump and his enforcer U S Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin on board Two fracked gas pipelines the Northeast Supply Enhancement NESE and Constitution projects have resurfaced after being repeatedly shot down by state regulators and NESE is being rushed through the permitting process Our state must reject these projects once again and draw a clear line no new gas pipelines in New York Both pipelines were blocked by the state s Department of Environmental Conservation DEC for good reason they endanger our water quality violate our circumstances mandates and work against our clean air goals But emboldened by the Trump administration corporate proponents have brought the projects back and are trying to make an end run around the law Unless Gov Kathy Hochul stands up for New Yorkers rights and pocketbooks we ll have more expensive polluting vitality boondoggles running through our state function d u ac var s d createElement 'script' s type 'text javascript' s src 'https a omappapi com app js api min js' s async true s dataset user u s dataset campaign ac d getElementsByTagName 'head' appendChild s document 'u kmqsczew vunxutxmd' Every new pipeline locks New York into a fossil-fuel future that we cannot afford The stakes couldn t be higher Harmful air poisoning irreparable damage to our water materials a boost in harmful emissions as the environment dilemma escalates these all come with a new pipeline Pipelines would ratchet up greenhouse gas emissions and entrench fracked gas infrastructure for decades making it even harder for New York to meet the emissions reduction goals required by law under the Conditions Leadership Society Protection Act CLCPA They would also be environmentally ruinous The Constitution project would impact at least New York waterways and wetlands spanning trout streams and nearly acres of forest Courts agreed the state s denial was based on sound science NESE similarly was denied in based in part on its underwater impact in New York Harbor RELATED READING Trump Lifts Pause on NY Offshore Wind Project But Does it Come at a Price The governor says we need to explore all power sources in the short term to ensure force reliability All of the above makes for a good soundbite but it s lousy approach We need to focus on those resource sources that are cost-effective advance our state goals and prepare us for the future Short-term mistakes have long-term consequences Once built pipelines operate for decades undermining renewable investments and perpetuating environmental injustice And then when clean strength eventually becomes the standard as it will they will be left to rot in communities that already bear the brunt of misguided force strategy And it s utility customers who will pay National Grid estimates that its customers in New York City and Long Island will see a percent increase in costs to pay for construction of NESE Fossil fuel rise is not only dirty it s economically indefensible Already more than organizations are on record demanding that the governor reject any revival of NESE Hundreds of Environmental Advocates NY s own members have submitted comments They say our state and citizens physical condition requirements not the interests of fossil fuel lobbyists must drive power initiative There are far cleaner cheaper and faster approaches to create more force residents and private wind and solar build outs geothermal efficiency upgrades That s what New York s renewable mandates demand not doubling down on fossil infrastructure that locks in capacity costs and carbon emissions for generations To Gov Hochul and Albany leaders honor our surroundings commitments under the CLCPA which mandates emissions reductions and reflects our determination to protect our rights communities and atmosphere future Don t cave to federal pressure or industry lobbying Don t gamble with clean water general wellbeing or surroundings leadership Don t ignore the communities who have to live with dirty air and water And when it comes to projects like NESE and Constitution just say no Instead invest in the force solutions of the future that New Yorkers need and deserve It s long past time to put people ahead of fossil fuels Katherine Nadeau is deputy executive director of plan and programs at Environmental Advocates NY The post Opinion Trump s Pipelines Will Endanger New Yorkers Physical condition and Safety appeared first on City Limits