Advocates Demand Gov. Hochul Stand Up to Trump as Admin Greenlights Williams NESE Pipeline

ALBANY, NY (08/29/2025) (readMedia)-- Yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted the certificate for the Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline, bringing the dangerous, fracked gas pipeline one step closer to reality. The move comes as Governor Hochul continues to fast-track the NESE and Constitution pipelines for approval in order to appease Trump - and despite overwhelming opposition from national lawmakers, state officials, and everyday New Yorkers.

In response, Julia Walsh, Director of Frack Action and Laura Shindell, New York State Director of Food & Water Watch issued the following statement urging Governor Kathy Hochul to stand up to the Trump administration and reject this dangerous pipeline proposal:

"Trump and his fossil fuel cronies are bragging that Governor Hochul "caved" on their plans to build dangerous, fracked gas pipelines in New York that will devastate our communities and poison our waters. Now, they have rubber stamped the pipeline application - and the Governor is shamelessly helping them just to buy favor with Trump. There's a reason New York repeatedly rejected these exact same projects years ago, and there's a reason why U.S. Senator Whitehouse this week called the deal 'extortion'. Governor Hochul must stand up to Trump, put New Yorkers first, and once again reject these pipelines."

In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the pipeline company behind the long-denied Constitution Pipeline and the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipelines is attempting to revive the projects following discussions between Trump and Governor Hochul. After a meeting between Governor Hochul and the Trump administration, the White House claimed that Hochul had "caved" on the pipelines in exchange for the President allowing a wind project in New York State to continue. Hochul has hardly denied that a deal was made, and instead committed to advancing projects within the administration.

Governor Hochul's decision to fast-track these projects is putting her at odds with the vast majority of New Yorkers - including many of her own allies - who are urging her to reject Trump's pipelines. Earlier this month, in a rare moment of criticism from Democratic Members of Congress, Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Hakeem Jeffries, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Nydia Velazquez signed a letter to Governor Hochul raising serious environmental concerns with the proposed NESE pipeline and urging her to extend the public comment period. Her Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado signed a letter to the Governor urging her to reject these pipelines, and just this week, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island became the latest federal lawmaker to denounce the reported deal, calling it "extortion."

Background

Since being revived, neither application has changed, meaning both the NESE and Constitution pipelines still pose the exact same environmental threats to New York since they were first denied under section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act. The Constitution pipeline would threaten more than 250 waterways throughout Upstate New York, endangering sensitive habitats and wildlife populations that depend on healthy ecosystems, while the Williams NESE pipeline would stir up toxic contaminants in the New York Harbor that harm critical fisheries and other wildlife habitats.

These pipelines would also force regular New Yorkers to pay billions to expand fossil fuel infrastructure that is increasingly unreliable and expensive to maintain. The Williams NESE pipeline alone will cost more than $1.3 billion, forcing ratepayers to pay $200 million every year for more than a decade on construction. While energy companies promise it will eventually decrease costs, National Grid estimates its New York City and Long Island customers would see a 3.5% increase in costs to pay for construction - adding to repeated rate hikes already making energy unaffordable for most New Yorkers. In addition to direct construction costs, the pipelines would also jeopardize hundreds of millions in local economic activity, tourism, fishing and other small businesses that rely on healthy local ecosystems.