Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressmen Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and Dan Goldman (NY-10) led 10 members of the New York congressional delegation in urging the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to reject the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project, a 23.5-mile fracked gas pipeline that would cut through the ocean floor near Staten Island and the Rockaways.
The letter highlights how the NESE pipeline would endanger marine ecosystems, threaten public health, and undermine New York’s landmark climate goals by locking the state into decades of new fossil fuel infrastructure.
“This project, which would bury 17 miles of fracked gas pipeline under the ocean floor in ecologically sensitive waters near Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula, poses significant and far-reaching implications for public health, environmental justice communities, climate goals, and marine ecosystems,” the Members wrote.
Williams’ plan would require dredging through contaminated sediments containing arsenic, lead, mercury, PCBs, and dioxins — hazardous substances already identified by the Army Corps of Engineers as unsafe for upland disposal. The lawmakers also highlighted the fact that the project has been rejected three times by the DEC, each time failing to meet state water quality standards.
“We are also concerned by Williams’ troubling safety record. Since 2008, the company has experienced at least ten pipeline explosions or fires. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has repeatedly cited the company for safety violations, including a civil penalty in 2015 for failing to properly inspect pipeline valves in New Jersey and New York City,” the Members wrote.
The lawmakers applauded Governor Hochul for her national leadership on climate, from launching New York’s first offshore wind farm to enacting the Climate Superfund Act. They stressed that approving the NESE pipeline would directly conflict with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s target of 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030.
“A rigorous review process is vital to ensuring that New York continues to lead the nation in protecting public health, addressing climate change, and advancing a clean energy future. We remain committed to working with you to uphold these goals,” the Members concluded.
Read the full letter here or below.
This letter follows Representative Nadler’s August 2025 letter requesting Governor Hochul and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton extend the public comment period and convene public hearings on the pipeline and his May 2019 letter to former Governor Cuomo opposing the pipeline.
###
Dear Governor Hochul and Commissioner Lefton:
As members of the New York State congressional delegation, we write to express our concern over the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project. This project, which would bury 17 miles of fracked gas pipeline under the ocean floor in ecologically sensitive waters near Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula, poses significant and far-reaching implications for public health, environmental justice communities, climate goals, and marine ecosystems. It also threatens coastal economies that depend on tourism, recreation, water sports, and commercial fishing.
The NESE Project would involve constructing a 23.5-mile, 26-inch fracked gas pipeline beneath Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay, extending roughly two miles into Staten Island and about three miles into the Rockaways. Building the pipeline would require trenching and dredging through seabed sediments known to contain toxic substances, including arsenic, lead, PCBs, mercury, and dioxins. As evidence of this, in October 2019, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a public notice confirming that Williams had applied for authorization to dispose of approximately 735,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the NESE pipeline route at an offshore site located just 7.7 miles south of Rockaway Beach, indicating that the sediments in question were considered contaminated and necessitated ocean disposal rather than upland reuse. The Army Corps’ involvement further underscores the level of environmental risk and the importance of rigorous oversight. The proposed construction method, which involves trenching and dredging, would also create prolonged noise and vibrations that could impact local marine ecosystems.
As you are aware, although the NESE Project was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), New York retains independent authority under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act to determine whether the pipeline complies with state water quality standards. Without a valid Water Quality Certification from the state, FERC will not authorize construction.
As you are aware, the NYSDEC has previously denied a Water Quality Certification for this pipeline three times, first on April 20, 2018, again on May 15, 2019, and finally on May 15, 2020, two of which were due to its likely violation of New York State’s water quality standards. That determination was based in part on the significant disruption to contaminated sediments and associated harm to marine and coastal resources. The resubmitted application, filed in May 2025, includes no meaningful changes to the proposal previously rejected by the state.
We are also concerned by Williams’ troubling safety record. Since 2008, the company has experienced at least ten pipeline explosions or fires. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has repeatedly cited the company for safety violations, including a civil penalty in 2015 for failing to properly inspect pipeline valves in New Jersey and New York City. Should a leak or explosion occur, New Yorkers would be on the front lines.
Furthermore, it remains unclear whether Williams has demonstrated a credible or compelling need for this pipeline. Gas consumption in New York is projected to remain flat or decline due to increased renewable generation and improved efficiency. If demand does not materialize, the $926.5 million construction cost could ultimately be passed on to residents in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, placing an unfair financial burden on New Yorkers. After accounting for profit and interest earned by investors, ratepayers will ultimately pay for the pipeline to the tune of approximately $7.50 per month each, totaling more than $3.2 billion over 15 years.
We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership in positioning New York as a national model for ambitious climate action. Under her administration, the state has enacted the Climate Superfund Act to hold polluters accountable, launched its first offshore wind farm, and made historic investments in green infrastructure and clean energy. These efforts reflect a strong commitment to environmental justice, climate resilience, and the transition away from fossil fuels. This leadership is especially important as New York works to meet the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which mandates that 70 percent of electricity be renewable by 2030. New York City has also committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. A new fracked gas pipeline would undermine these goals, prolong our dependence on fossil fuels, increase costs for ratepayers, and disproportionately impact frontline communities. The NESE project stands in direct tension with this progress and risks reversing hard-won climate gains.
A rigorous review process is vital to ensuring that New York continues to lead the nation in protecting public health, addressing climate change, and advancing a clean energy future. We remain committed to working with you to uphold these goals.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.