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The US Department of Energy has announced plans to allocate up to $42 million in federal funding to revive a long-stalled natural gas pipeline project.
What happened
The funding will be used to advance the proposed 125-mile Constitution Pipeline, which will transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York. The project was originally approved in 2014 but was halted due to regulatory disputes and environmental concerns.
The $42 million will support permitting, environmental reviews, engineering, and other preconstruction activities. The pipeline is expected to lower electricity and home heating costs, as well as reduce the risk of blackouts during periods of peak demand.
The project was abandoned in 2020, but the developer, Williams Companies, is now seeking renewed federal approval. The company estimates that the pipeline could transport enough natural gas to meet the daily needs of approximately three million Northeast homes.
The administration's funding decision follows an April presidential determination identifying natural gas pipelines as essential to national defense. Congress also appropriated $1 billion for energy-related projects deemed critical to national security.
