I urge you to do everything in your power to stop the Algonquin fracked gas pipeline expansion, dubbed “Project Maple”, including directing state agencies to withhold any necessary permits to move this dangerous pipeline project forward. New York is already on pace to miss the goals of Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Building any new fossil fuel infrastructure, including Project Maple, instead of rapidly ramping up renewable energy production is bad for our climate and puts some of our most vulnerable communities in danger.

The current proposal put forward by Enbridge involves expanding infrastructure along the Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) pipeline in New York as well as infrastructure at compressor stations along the pipeline route. A portion of Project Maple would also come precariously close to the decommissioning Indian Point Nuclear plant. The close proximity of the pipeline expansion to radioactive contaminants and increased flow of gas by this site would be incredibly detrimental to the region.

This region includes the City of Peekskill, a major Environmental Justice community along the pipeline route. Peekskill, which comprises predominantly low and middle income Latino and Black residents, has already faced tremendous industry pollution from the Wheelabrator Incinerator and the existing AIM pipeline that runs through it, among other big polluting projects. This fracked gas expansion would only further exacerbate the poor air quality in the region, leading to higher rates of chronic illness and asthma for an already vulnerable population.

On top of the concerns of expanding a project so close to the Indian Point Nuclear facility and in the EJ community of Peekskill, the creation, transportation and release of fracked gas increases methane into our atmosphere, which is roughly 87 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a span of 20 years. We are already feeling the negative effects of climate change throughout New York and simply must stop the buildout of any new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Activists and local elected officials celebrated years ago when you stopped the Danskammer and Astoria NRG fracked gas plants from being expanded. For the same reasons, we cannot expand any new fossil fuel infrastructure if we are to combat our climate crisis. I urge you to be vocal in your opposition to Project Maple and the expansion of all fracked gas projects in our state and direct your state agencies including the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to deny any permits for Enbridge to move Project Maple forward.