The Constitution Pipeline Is Essential to New England, and Kathy Hochul Is Being Sued to Stop Standing in the Way!
Guest post by Jim Willis of Marcellus Drilling News.
Connecticut gubernatorial candidate Betsy McCaughey (Republican) has sued New York Governor Kathy Hochul (Democrat), alleging a violation of the Interstate Commerce Clause for blocking the Constitution Pipeline. McCaughey claims Hochul’s actions prevent cheaper Marcellus Shale natural gas from reaching New England, thereby increasing Connecticut’s electricity rates.
McCaughey, who lives in Greenwich, claims legal standing to sue as a consumer and ratepayer. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, aims to force New York to allow construction of the pipeline, which she argues would provide Connecticut residents with more affordable energy. Do-nothing Governor Ned Lamont (lifer Democrat, running for a third term) dismissed the suit as a political stunt.
Does McCaughey’s name ring a bell? You may have seen her as a substitute host on the Newsmax cable TV station. Her name is more meaningful to us as she was the lieutenant governor of New York from 1995 to 1998 under Governor George Pataki (the last Republican governor NY had, to date). Although she lived in NY for a period of years, she grew up and has deep roots in Connecticut, where she now lives.
McCaughey said she’s not waiting until she wins and becomes governor. The time is now to sue NY and force the state to allow the Constitution Pipeline. The Constitution is a 124-mile greenfield pipeline project which will flow Marcellus molecules from Susquehanna County in northeast Pennsylvania into and through New York State, to Schoharie County, NY, where it would connect to both the Iroquois Gas Transmission pipeline and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline. From there, the molecules will flow to New York City and into New England, including Connecticut.
Just yesterday, we reported comments from Williams CEO Chad Zamarin (builder of the project), who said the Constitution could be operational by late 2027, *if* New York issues approvals in the “next couple of months” (see Williams CEO Says Constitution Pipe Could be Online by End of 2027).
McCaughey (wisely) is not waiting for NY to do the right thing. It’s time to force the state to do the right thing. That’s what her lawsuit is about (we applaud her for filing it).
The race for governor of Connecticut took a southerly detour Tuesday to Foley Square in Manhattan, where a lawsuit filed on behalf of Republican candidate Betsy McCaughey accuses New York Gov. Kathy Hochul of driving up electric rates by blocking the flow of relatively cheap natural gas into Connecticut.
McCaughey claims that Hochul is violating the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution by blocking construction of a pipeline that would increase the supply of Marcellus Shale natural gas from northeast Pennsylvania into New England.
“So I have filed the suit. I’m not going to wait ’til I’m governor. There’s no reason that the people of Connecticut should wait six more months to start remedying this situation,” McCaughey said. “The big question, of course, is why hasn’t Ned Lamont filed this suit to produce affordable energy for the people of his state, instead of kowtowing to a partisan buddy next door in New York State?”
Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat seeking a third term in a state struggling to simultaneously lower electric rates and reduce carbon emissions, has turned to seeking ways to increase the supply of natural gas used to generate electricity. To that end, Lamont said in February he has been in talks with Hochul as well as with the administration of President Donald Trump.
His campaign called McCaughey’s suit a political stunt geared to the desires of Trump, whose administration has advocated for electricity generated by burning fossil fuels over renewable energy, such as the power generated by offshore wind.
“Gov. Lamont has made lowering utility costs by expanding energy capacity a top priority,” said Rob Blanchard, a spokesman. “Offshore wind and other renewables are key, but real progress requires a balanced mix of nuclear, natural gas, hydropower and emerging technologies. Projects like Revolution Wind didn’t prevail by accident — it succeeded because Connecticut has a governor willing to stand up to Donald Trump, not one busy trying to win his approval with stunts.”
The Hochul administration did not respond to a request for comment.
The notion of suing New York is not new: Sen. Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, the ranking Republican on the Energy and Technology Committee and one of the three candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, said Tuesday he has been talking about suing New York for “at least a year now,” though as something the state could consider.
McCaughey, who lives in Greenwich, said Tuesday she has legal standing to sue as a consumer and ratepayer affected by New York blocking the Constitution Pipeline from Pennsylvania, which she says results in Connecticut relying on more expensive sources of natural gas to generate electricity.
She quoted Laura Swett, the chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as telling Congress that the absence of the pipeline is forcing consumers in New England to pay as much as 300% more.
It was unclear what it would cost for McCaughey to pursue the litigation filed in U.S. District Court, but the expenses would be borne by her — not the campaign, she said.
The case was filed on her behalf by Paul Batista, a prominent lawyer, television commentator and novelist whose expertise is criminal law. He also happens to be married to McCaughey, who called him brilliant and, at least for her, affordable.
McCaughey was the lieutenant governor of New York under George Pataki in the 1990s. She now lives in Greenwich and hosts a Sunday news program on Newsmax, the conservative cable network. She is struggling to compete for the GOP nomination with Fazio and Erin Stewart, the former mayor of New Britain.
Stewart and Fazio both have qualified for public campaign financing and are assured of easily clearing the threshold necessary to get on the ballot for the Republican gubernatorial primary in August — 15% of the vote at the nominating convention May 16.
As of March 31, McCaughey had raised only $62,094 of the $335,500 in small-dollar donations necessary to qualify for public financing, but she said her aggressive campaign is generating enthusiasm.
“The enthusiasm will translate into money,” she said.
The Williams Companies, the Oklahoma pipeline operator that proposed the Constitution Pipeline, offered no opinion on the legal strategy employed by McCaughey, nor the impact it might have on prices.
“The Northeast faces real energy challenges, especially during periods of high demand, and there’s no single solution. It’s going to take collaboration across states and stakeholders,” Cherice Corley, a company spokesperson, said in a statement. “Projects like the Constitution pipeline would help deliver more reliable and affordable energy to New York, Connecticut, and New England where communities need it most. We’re committed to continuing those conversations as the region’s energy needs continue to grow.”
Williams first received federal approvals to build the pipeline more than a decade ago, but the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation declined to issue a water quality permit in 2016. A renewed effort was rejected last year by New York.
Williams has sued unsuccessfully, though not asserting the constitutional claim made by McCaughey.
McCaughey, whose press conference announcing the lawsuit drew only one reporter and one photographer, was asked Tuesday why she felt she would succeed where a major company has failed.
“This is called leadership. I’m looking at it for the people of Connecticut. The Williams company tried to litigate and negotiate and failed, but I am determined to win, to support affordable energy bills for the people of Connecticut,” McCaughey said. “So the fact that Williams failed, that’s not an excuse for anyone else to fail, and it’s certainly not an excuse for Gov. Lamont to be inactive in this when he could be fighting hard for affordable energy for people in Connecticut.”
#ConstitutionPipeline #Williams #NewYork #Connecticut #NaturalGas #NewEngland #BetsyMcCaughey
For more great articles on natural gas development every single day, subscribe to Marcellus Drilling News using this convenient link.
