FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Lawler
845-721-5396
DEC'S DECISION TO DENY THE NESE PIPELINE DENIES NEW YORKERS ACCESS TO CLEAN, AFFORDABLE ENERGY
ALBANY, NY -
Today, New Yorkers for Affordable Energy, a coalition of labor, business, and community leaders dedicated to ensuring access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy for all New Yorkers, released the following statement in response the the Department of Environmental Conservation's decision regarding the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline:
"We are disappointed by the Department of Environmental Conservation's decision to deny the construction of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline. This pipeline would have increased the natural gas supply to New York City and Long Island and ensured access to a safe, clean, affordable, and reliable energy source for millions of New Yorkers.
At a time when New Yorkers are struggling with the economic fallout from COVID-19 and in need of financial relief, we should be finding ways to reduce the cost of living, the cost of doing business, and the cost of construction and manufacturing. Unfortunately, with this decision, New York State once again demonstrated it puts politics ahead of the wellbeing of New Yorkers.
Coming on the heels of the shut-down of one of Indian Point's nuclear reactors, this decision will further put a strain on New York energy supply and leave New York at an economic and environmental disadvantage. Natural gas infrastructure in New York is at its limit. Without new sources of natural gas, moratoriums on new hookups can’t be far off.
While we support New York State's efforts to implement clean energy goals and increase the use of renewable energy sources, we must be realistic about the technological limitations of renewable energy and honest about the high costs of renewables and the benefits of natural gas.
The simple fact is that New Yorkers rely on natural gas. Sixty percent of New York households heat with natural gas, and 40 percent of our electricity comes from power plants that run on natural gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. And from the outcry over recent efforts by LDCs to impose moratoriums on new natural gas hookups, there are more New Yorkers that want to switch to this fuel.
Despite the negative campaigns against all fossil fuels, the fact is that natural gas is a clean fuel that can drive New York’s energy goals forward. According to the Western Energy Alliance, natural gas “is the number one reason the United States has reduced greenhouse gas emissions more than any other country.” The shift from dirtier-burning fuels like coal to natural gas has produced 57 percent more carbon-emission reductions than have all the renewable energy sources that have come online since 2005, EIA data show.
The truth is, natural gas is the only source of energy that can fully and reliably meet the needs of New Yorkers - and do so without increasing energy costs to homeowners and businesses or increasing the cost of new construction to alleviate New York’s affordable housing problem.
We strongly urge New York State to reevaluate its approach to energy, and include natural gas as a reliable partner to a clean energy future."
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