The New York State Department of Environmental Protection scored a win in an appeals court Friday when a judge ruled in favor of the agency\u2019s decision to grant water quality permits for a controversial gas pipeline.<\/p>\n
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a summary order against environmental advocacy groups, dismissing their lawsuit<\/a>. The court found the DEC acted reasonably when it awarded Transco water quality permits for its Northeast Supply Enhancement project, even though it had denied permits for the project three times in prior years.<\/p>\n The DEC \u201csubjects applications for environmental permits to a transparent and rigorous review process to protect public health and the environment,\u201d Dana Ferine, a spokesperson for the DEC, said in a statement about the ruling. \u201cDEC is committed to closely monitoring the proposed [NESE] pipeline project\u2019s construction and adherence to all permit conditions to ensure the full protection of New York\u2019s waterways.\u201d<\/p>\n More context: The controversial pipeline project that would transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to downstate New York looked all but dead after environmental regulators in New York and New Jersey denied the project\u2019s applications for water quality permits in prior years.<\/p>\n But it was revived under the Trump administration, which has been pushing fossil fuel development over renewables. In April, the White House sent an all-star cast of officials to a groundbreaking ceremony<\/a> for NESE, touting its ability to lower energy prices.<\/p>\n Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s administration was key in allowing the pipeline\u2019s revival. President Donald Trump claims that Hochul \u201ccaved\u201d when pressured<\/a> to give the go-ahead to the pipeline project in return for allowing an off-shore wind project to resume construction. Hochul denies that any pipelines-for-wind deal was made.<\/p>\n The ruling is a blow to environmental advocacy organizations that sued over the permitting.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last thing we need is a gas pipeline that will raise bills and harm our environment.,\u201d Earthjustice Managing Attorney Susan Kraham, who represented environmental groups in the case, said in a statement. \u201cDEC was right to reject the NESE pipeline project three times because it could not comply with the states\u2019 water quality standards. It should have done so again.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead: The project is still facing other active legal challenges, including a similar lawsuit in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals<\/a> challenging the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s issuance of water quality permits for the project. That case was argued in July.<\/p>\n Environmental groups are also suing<\/a> the New Jersey Tidelands Resource Council in state court over its decision to grant the project a utility license.<\/p>\n