May, 08 2019, 12:00am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Patrick Davis, pdavis@foe.org, (202) 222-0744
Lindsay Meiman, lindsay@350.org, (347) 460-9082
Rep. Nadler Opposes Williams Pipeline, Groups Push Other Members of Congress to Follow his Lead
Rep. Nadler is first from New York’s congressional delegation to oppose Williams pipeline as part of a Green New Deal
WASHINGTON
At a recent Green New Deal town hall, New York Congressman Jerry Nadler publicly opposed the Williams fracked gas pipeline proposed for the New York Harbor. This comes ahead of the May 16th deadline for Gov. Cuomo and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Nadler, whose district includes neighborhoods hard hit by Superstorm Sandy like Red Hook and Sunset Park, told Friends of the Earth's N.Y. organizing fellow Jo Cutrona, "We shouldn't be, um, prolonging our dependence on fossil fuels."
Watch the video here.
The Stop the Williams Pipeline coalition and Friends of the Earth are calling on federal elected officials to oppose the Williams fracked gas pipeline as part of a Green New Deal.
"As support for a Green New Deal in Congress builds, we think it's important to make sure any Green New Deal legislation includes a plan to keep fossil fuels in the ground," said Jo Cutrona, New York organizing fellow at Friends of the Earth. "We call on New York members of Congress to walk the talk of supporting a Green New Deal by fighting to stop local fossil fuel projects like the Williams fracked gas pipeline in New York City."
The project, which would transport fracked gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey out to an existing pipeline off the coast of the Rockaways, was approved last week by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but still requires permits from New York state and New Jersey to begin construction.
"It's exceptional to have Representative Nadler join the massive movement opposing the Williams fracked gas pipeline," said Betamia Coronel, a New Yorker, 350.org lead organizer and member of the Stop the Williams Pipeline coalition. "This latest opposition is a direct result of people power, and the pressure New Yorkers are building for real solutions to the climate crisis. Now it's up to Governor Cuomo to stand up for our health and safety, and halt this reckless and unnecessary pipeline."
"Representative Nadler recognizes that the fracked gas the Williams Pipeline would carry threatens the health and safety of New Yorkers. We are at a critical moment in history. Governor Cuomo must also reject the pipeline to protect the lives of New Yorkers, and not the profits of the fossil fuel industry," said Patrick Houston, climate and inequality campaigns organizer at New York Communities for Change.
"The climate science on fracked gas is clear and Congressman Nadler is absolutely right that we should not be building new pipelines at this time,"said Lee Ziesche, an organizer with Sane Energy Project and the Stop the Williams Pipeline coalition. "Building a fracked gas pipeline in 2019 is spending a billion dollars to go in the wrong direction where as a Green New Deal could create thousands of good paying jobs converting New York City to the renewable energy heating we need."
"Governor Cuomo should heed Representative Nadler's advice and stop this pipeline," said Food & Water Watch organizer Laura Shindell. "We cannot take action on climate change if we continue building fossil fuel pipelines."
350 is building a future that's just, prosperous, equitable and safe from the effects of the climate crisis. We're an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.
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