Common Cause New York Calls on DEC to Release Public Comments Related to Controversial NESE Pipeline

NEW YORK, NY (09/18/2025) (readMedia)-- On Monday, the Public Service Commission added the National Grid Gas Planning Forecast to its Thursday meeting agenda at the last-minute, paving the way for approval of the NESE pipeline. On Tuesday,, Senators Liz Krueger and Pete Harckham, along with Assembly Member Deborah Glick, expressed concern about the fast-track approval process for approval of the NESE pipeline. The PSC's last-minute agenda addition is the latest step in the Hochul administration's apparent fast-tracking of the NESE pipeline approval process after cutting a deal with Trump, even though the pipeline has previously been denied three times by the DEC.

Now, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, is issuing the following statement:

"Given the expedited timeline that the Governor appears to be operating on, Common Cause/NY is calling on the Department of Environmental Conservation to release any comments related to the NESE pipeline, so that we can see where the public – despite limited opportunities for engagement – stands. As the DEC has previously determined when it rejected the pipeline originally, this project could have a significant impact on all New Yorkers. The process should be public and transparent, not rushed in private backrooms."

# # #