QNS
New York State rejected the
application for the controversial Williams Pipeline, also known as the
Northeast Supply Enhancement Project, the $1 billion pipeline that would
have transported fracked natural gas from Pennsylvania under New York
Harbor terminating just over three miles off Rockaway Beach.
More than 60 elected officials —
including City Councilman Costa Constantinides, state Senator Joseph
Addabbo and Comptroller Scott Stringer — had announced their opposition
to the 24-mile pipeline along with 250 organizations and nearly 20,000
who stand against the project.
National Grid had warned the pipeline
was necessary to provide guaranteed service to new gas customers,
including Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $1.18 billion Belmont Park
redevelopment plan.
Environmentalists warned the project would prolong
dependence on fossil fuels instead of moving towards a clean energy
future and that construction would pollute the waters by kicking up
toxic heavy metals in the sediment.
“As currently conceived in the
application, construction of the NESE pipeline project is projected to
result in water quality violations and fails to meet New York State’s
rigorous water quality standards,” the state Department of Environmental
Conservation said in a statement released Wednesday. “Specifically,
construction of the proposed project would result in significant water
quality impacts from the re-suspension of sediments and other
contaminants, including mercury and copper.”
Stringer called the decision a major victory.
“We’ve been outspoken in opposition to
the pipeline from the beginning, and I am so proud of the coalition of
dedicated advocates who refused to have their voices drowned out be
entrenched interests,” he said. “The fossil fuel industry learned an
important lesson, they are no match against the people of New York. When
we fight back, we win.”
The fight is far from over because the
DEC rejection was “without prejudice” meaning the Oklahoma-based
Williams Transco could reapply.
“The Department of Conservation raised
a minor technical issue with our application for water quality
certification,” Williams Transco spokesman Chris Stockton said. “Our
team will be evaluating the issue and resubmitting the application
quickly. We are confident that we can be responsive to this technical
concern, meet our customer’s in-service date and avoid a moratorium that
would have a devastating impact on the regional economy and
environment.”
5 comments:
Utter madness.
Where do these people think you get energy to heat you homes or power electrical generation plants?
When Gov Quasimodo shuts down Indian Point where will you get your energy?
And a nice touch with calling it fracked natural gas.
Fracked natural gas is the same as natural gas. But it makes a nice spin.
Anon re: spin
That's actually a good point.
The killer line: "Environmentalists warned the project would prolong dependence on fossil fuels instead of moving towards a clean energy future..." Sooo, we can't have it because we need it. It will work. That would be bad. And why exactly does this concern the Comptroller's Office?
Our future "clean" energy is already here but is not being used.
Thorium-based nuclear power will be used and are are designed to be meltdown proof !
Makes me feel a lot safer- during hurricanes the barometric pressures fluctuate rapidly As a neighbor said weird things happen during hurricanes
We could have all been blown up by that gas line! What if terrorists went after it with drones?!
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