If Kathy Hochul really cares about affordability, she’ll do this
Gov. Kathy Hochul has centered her reelection campaign on talk about “affordability,” but if she means it, let her prove it — by OK’ing the Constitution Pipeline project pronto.
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A new independent study by Daymark Energy Advisors finds that the 125-mile natural-gas line, to run from Pennsylvania to Schoharie County, could save the Northeast as much as $5.8 billion in electric costs over the next 20 years, including $3 billion in New York alone.
“Our analysis confirms that Constitution Pipeline can play a meaningful role in improving energy affordability and reliability for millions of consumers,” reports a study co-author, Dan Koehler.
By boosting “access to natural gas supplies,” Daymark finds, the project would cut reliance on “higher-cost, higher-emission fuel oil generation” needed during winter demand peaks.
That makes the pipeline a winner not only for consumers but also for climate warriors, since the carbon footprint of gas is far less than oil’s.
This follows a November report that similarly found greenlighting the Constitution could save New Yorkers nearly $5 billion over 15 years and “mitigate against extreme winter price spikes” — and that the pipeline would create 1,000 new jobs in New York and generate millions in new state tax revenue.
A governor aiming to score “affordability” points should race to kick off such a project — and then claim deserved credit for pushing it through.
But Hochul’s too fearful of the green fanatics who see any carbon-fuel project as evil.
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In June, President Donald Trump accused her of reneging on a deal to let the Constitution project start; her minions deny she made any such deal, while claiming she’ll consider gas projects if they meet state laws.
That’s our gov: Always ready to consider a decision, never bold in making one.
She’s always looking to have it both ways: Promising “affordability” but worried about what acting to deliver it might cost her.
This year, she pushed through a minor rollback of the state’s insane 2019 climate law, claiming it would save New Yorkers oodles of cash yet push back (fantasy) emissions goals only slightly.
Translation: She’ll waste New Yorkers’ hard-earned dollars in service to the climate warriors once she’s safely reelected.
The Constitution Pipeline should be a no-brainer.
As part of some deal with Trump, Hochul did OK the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, which broke ground in April.
She should likewise quit stalling on the Constitution project — if she means it on delivering affordability.
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