Did Trump and Hochul Just Swap an Offshore Wind Farm for a Pipeline?

When I wrote about the potential revival of the Constitution Pipeline project here two weeks ago, I received several notes assuring me it would never be permitted by the New York state government, with others asking who would be willing to risk the capital to fund and build it?

The answer to the second inquiry arrived on Thursday, when the Wall Street Journal reported that Williams Co. is working with the Trump administration to revive both the Constitution Pipeline as well as the Northeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline (NSEP), both of which have been held up by the New York state government for years. The Constitution pipeline is designed to carry natural gas produced in the Marcellus shale play in Pennsylvania into New York and New England to supply inexpensive domestic gas in place of costly imports of liquefied natural gas from other countries, including Russia. The NSEP project is designed to expand existing pipeline infrastructure operated by Williams which distributes natural gas to New York City and New York Harbor.