1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

The proposed Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) fracked gas pipeline poses grave risks to the environment and undermines efforts to combat climate change. Construction would churn up toxic pollutants like arsenic, lead, and DDT from the seabed, harming marine life including endangered species like the Atlantic sturgeon. Methane leaks from fracked gas are a potent greenhouse gas, 84 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Building new fossil fuel infrastructure flies in the face of New York State's goal of obtaining 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and New York City's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. We must reject projects like the NESE pipeline that lock us into continued reliance on dirty energy sources and exacerbate the climate crisis. Investing instead in renewable wind and solar power is vital for protecting our environment now and for future generations.