Comments of the New York City Comptroller Brad Lander Submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Regarding the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project

As the Chief Financial and Accountability Officer for New York City, the Comptroller is responsible for assessing the City’s long-term risks, including those that climate change poses to current and future generations.  That’s why I’m urging the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to reject the proposed permitting of the Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline.

In 2019, the New York State legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Protection Act (CLCPA), setting forth landmark commitments to transition to renewable energy and dramatically reduce emissions statewide. The CLCPA is designed to ensure that the State’s policy and investment decisions align with its climate goals.

Five years ago, DEC rejected the NESE pipeline after a rigorous review. Now, it appears the Governor is reversing this decision after striking a deal with Trump—trading offshore wind approvals for her renewed support of the pipeline. The Governor is undermining New York’s climate mandates by bringing back a previously rejected fracked gas pipeline project without any meaningful opportunity for public input. To stay on track toward a just and equitable climate future, the DEC must reject the NESE pipeline.

Not only is this pipeline a step backward on climate, it’s a massive financial burden for New Yorkers. The $1.4 billion NESE pipeline will saddle National Grid customers with an estimated $200 million a year in utility bills for the next 15 years. With utility debt in New York City nearly doubling and shutoffs at record highs, ratepayers cannot afford another costly, unnecessary gas project.

There is no clear need for a major new supply of gas in New York City. In 2019, National Grid claimed we’d face gas shortages if the NESE pipeline wasn’t finished by winter 2020 – but that never happened.  Since then, gas demand has grown less than previously predicted as more buildings have switched to electric systems.

Recent policy changes will accelerate that shift. The repeal of the 100-foot rule now limits new gas hookups, while the passage of the All-Electric Buildings Act ensures all new buildings are fully electrified. At the same time, major clean energy and transmission projects like the Champlain Hudson Power Express, Empire Wind, and expanded rooftop solar, are expected to displace gas-fired generation.

Despite these shifts, investment in proven non-pipeline alternatives remains minimal. Redirecting funds from NESE toward grid modernization, electrification incentives, and energy efficiency would be a more affordable and equitable way to meet our climate goals. Instead of shoring up our energy future through these non-pipeline solutions, approving the NESE pipeline will lock New Yorkers into costly, long-lived stranded assets and delay the clean energy transition we need.

The NESE project also poses grave environmental harms. Building the pipeline would require excavating 23.3 miles of seabed, disturbing toxic marine sediments contaminated with arsenic, lead, mercury, PCBs, and dioxins near Staten Island and the Rockaways. When this project was last denied, the DEC concluded it would violate New York’s strict water-quality standards. Releasing these toxins into our waters threatens coastal communities that work, fish, and swim along the shore, and puts recovering marine life like whales, dolphins, and seals at risk.

We can’t let backroom deals with Trump override New York’s science-based climate mandates. As the Trump administration pushes more fossil fuel infrastructure, State regulators must stand firm in protecting public health, fiscal responsibility, and long-term climate goals. The NESE pipeline is costly, risky, and out of step with our energy future. We urge DEC to deny all permits and commit to a just, climate-aligned transition for all New Yorkers.

Thank you for your consideration.

###