A developer is seeking the green light from the Trump administration to restart construction on two natural gas pipeline projects in New York that had been abandoned in the last five years.
Oklahoma-based pipeline developer Williams Companies is specifically looking to revive the controversial Constitution pipeline and the Northeast Supply Enhancement project, as part of a deal the Trump administration made with New York state to advance its energy agenda.
The company confirmed to multiple outlets Thursday that it is in talks with state officials and local regulators regarding the two projects and had submitted a petition to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reinstate a permit for the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline.
Williams is not expected to receive much pushback from the pro-fossil fuel administration and federal regulators, particularly as President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the restart of the Constitution pipeline himself.
Many have speculated that the administration pushed for the pipeline restart as part of a deal with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in exchange for Trump allowing the massive offshore Empire Wind project to continue construction.
The Empire Wind project began construction in early April 2024 and was put on pause by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Burgum had claimed the project had been rushed through the permitting process by the Biden administration, citing a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report. The secretary never released the report.
The Trump administration lifted the stop-work order on the project last week, a move that New York officials quickly praised.
“After countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials, bringing labor and business to the table to emphasize the importance of this project, I’m pleased that President Trump and Secretary Burgum have agreed to lift the stop work order and allow this project to move forward,” Hochul said in a statement.
She indicated that her office would continue to work with the administration on “new energy projects,” but did not offer any additional details.
Burgum, however, released a statement specifically referring to pipelines.
“I am encouraged by Governor Hochul’s comments about her willingness to move forward on critical pipeline capacity,” Burgum wrote in a post to X. “Americans who live in New York and New England would see significant economic benefits and lower utility costs from increased access to reliable, affordable, clean American natural gas.”
Both the Constitution and Northeast Supply Enhancement pipelines are natural gas projects that aim to expand access to natural gas in New York and New England.
Today, the company described the projects as “essential” to addressing “persistent natural gas supply constraints in the Northeast, constraints that have led to higher energy costs for consumers and increased reliance on higher-emission fuels like fuel oil,” according to Bloomberg.
Williams scrapped the projects after New York state denied the company water quality permits. The company’s executives have since blasted the state over the dispute. CEO Alan Armstrong told Bloomberg in March that the states’ ability to block pipelines “has been pretty chronic.”
The Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline was axed in May of last year after receiving federal approval in 2019. The project was meant to expand Williams’s transcontinental gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
The Constitution pipeline was set to be a 125-mile natural gas pipeline that would deliver natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York and New England. It first received federal approval in 2014 and was later blocked by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) through the Clean Water Act. It was canceled in 2020.
Trump has repeatedly called for the Constitution pipeline to be revived and, in February, indicated that his administration would pave the way for its construction.
“We are also working on a project that has been under wraps for 20 years. Everybody wanted it,” Trump told reporters from the White House.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ALLOWS NEW YORK OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT TO RESTART CONSTRUCTION
“It’s been held up by New York. It’s a pipeline that will bring down the energy prices in New York and in all of New England by 50– 60– 70%,” he claimed. “It should have been done years ago.”
Williams did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
