Constitution Pipeline Revival Faces Skepticism from Environmental Advocates and Experts

Strategic Insights -

New England's efforts to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels may be hindered by the Trump administration's push to revive the Constitution pipeline, a 125-mile project that would transport gas from Pennsylvania into New York. Although U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin claims the pipeline would save New Englanders money, experts say it would do little to increase gas supply to the region and could even raise costs for generators and consumers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Constitution pipeline would not significantly increase gas supply to New England, as it would terminate in Schoharie County, New York, and connect to existing pipes that already carry gas into the region.
  • The existing infrastructure in New England is narrow and limited, and there are no plans to alleviate these constraints in the near future.
  • Multiple New England states are enacting plans to transition away from natural gas for home heating and appliances, which could reduce demand for natural gas and make the pipeline less necessary.
  • Experts say that even if new pipelines increased New England's gas supply, the influx of fuel would be unlikely to consistently lower prices in the long term, due to volatile global events affecting natural gas prices.
  • A better solution to both price and reliability worries would be to build a system that requires less gas, relying on a diverse portfolio of options including solar, offshore wind, battery storage, energy efficiency, and demand-response programs.
  • Industry insiders estimate that there are no large-scale gas supply projects into New England today, and until there is a way to increase gas supply, the Constitution pipeline may not change anything meaningful for the region.

Statistics:

  • New England's electricity producers are heavily dependent on natural gas, with 55% of the region's electricity coming from gas-fired plants in 2024 (https://www.ferc.gov/media/gordon-van-welie-iso-ne-president-and-ceo).
  • The wholesale price of natural gas more than tripled from its 2020 level in 2022, hitting $6.45 per million British thermal units, after Russia invaded Ukraine (https://www.eia.gov/data/international/historical/dlart/).
  • The average price of natural gas in 2025 was $2.20, and it is forecast to hit $4.30 in 2026 (https://www.eia.gov/data/international/historical/dlart/).
  • New England states like Massachusetts and Maine are enacting plans to transition away from natural gas for home heating and appliances, with the explicit goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 (https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-regulators-outline-plan-for-utilities-transition-to-clean-energy).

Sources:

  • "Opinion: Constitution pipeline would save New Englanders money" by Lee Zeldin, The Boston Globe, 2025-08-05 (https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/05/opinion/constitution-pipeline-new-england-energy-costs/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link)
  • "Trump administration revives plan for Constitution pipeline" by Canary Media, 2025-05-20 (https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/offshore-wind/equinor-empire-trump-timeline)
  • "Northeast heat wave: Solar and battery benefits" by Canary Media, 2025-07-15 (https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/northeast-heat-wave-solar-battery-benefits)