The battles to stop pipelines through New York,

go on and on. Today and seven years ago today.

* Governor Cuomo left the door open for Williams to reapply, and NOW is the time to turn up the heat -- on renewable heat! Details and next steps below!

The battles against pipelines,

in favor of more sustainable models of development,

they go on forever.

For years, activists have been at it.

Battling the Spectra and Constitution Pipelines,

and their connections with big energy,

fighting fracking,

trying to preserve water.

Water is life.

All week long activists have been hunger striking to compel the governor to reject

the Williams pipeline.

I got an email from Kim of Sane Energy project this morning notifying us:

The New York State DEC conditionally rejects

toxic and unnecessary pipeline in the face of threatened moratoriums, New Yorkers vow this pipeline will never be built

In the heat of a nearly three-year fight against the Williams fracked gas pipeline, the New York Department of Conservation issued a rejection of the permit to the dangerous and unnecessary pipeline. The rejection “without prejudice” allows Williams to resubmit its application with additional mitigation measures. The pipeline is slated to carry fracked gas from Pennsylvania through New York Harbor and out to the Rockaways. Activists will address the decision at a rally on the steps of City Hall tomorrow at noon.

Our Stop the Williams Pipeline Coalition, issued the following statement:

“New Yorkers are winning the fight against the Williams fracked gas pipeline, and we’ll make sure this dangerous and unnecessary pipeline is never built. While Cuomo refuses to stand up for our health and safety, utilities and gas companies are holding our energy needs hostage, manufacturing false demand and threatening moratoriums if we don’t let them poison our communities. New York is at a crossroads, and this is the time to meet National Grid’s moratorium threat with funding the renewable heating and cooling industry. This outcome is even more reason why we need a state-wide ban on all new fossil fuel projects. There’s no room for fracked gas in a Green New Deal for New York.”

Now is the time to turn up the heat on renewable heat!

The temporary win is the result of years and years of work and activist tenacity,

with daily actions, outreach events, marches, strikes, bike rides,

performances, and rallies.

A few of the recent actions around the campaign to #stopthewilliamspipeline
I was so on time for the demo last Thursday.

Earlier in the week, activists with Sane Energy Project started a Hunger Strike over the decision.

Climate Hunger Strike to Stop the Williams NESE Fracked Gas Pipeline

May 14-May 16, 8am-7pm - Midtown Manhattan

New Yorkers will begin a 3-day Climate Hunger Strike in front of Governor Cuomo’s Midtown Manhattan office on Tuesday morning ahead of New York State’s May 16 permitting deadline for the Williams NESE fracked gas pipeline proposed for New York Harbor. 

The women ranging from ages 21 to 75, will sit outside the office on a water-only hunger strike from 8am-7pm each day until a decision is made on the pipeline.  

 WHEN: Tuesday, May 14 -Thursday, May 16 (8am -7pm) 

WHERE: Outside Governor Cuomo’s office, 633 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 

WHO: 3-day Hunger Strike: JK Canepa, Kim Fraczek, Lily Walsingham-Johnson, and Lee Ziesche 1-day Hunger Strike: Joan Flynn and Monica Hunken 

SEE PORTRAITS AND STATEMENTS BELOW

WHY: New York State must make a decision to deny or approve a permit for the Williams NESE fracked gas pipeline by May 16. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved permits for the pipeline on May 3, and declined to take greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts into account. New York State can now only deny the pipeline with the 401 Water Quality Certificate as granted by the Federal Clean Water Act. 

Since FERC will not take climate impacts into account, despite dissent by one of its commissioners, and New York State is limited to only one water permit to approve or deny interstate fracked gas pipelines, the women say they are participating in the hunger strike to show New Yorkers reject the project because of its climate ramifications. They also want Governor Cuomo to know that the people are closely watching his decision and urge him not to wait until the last minute. 

Three final days remain for New York to decide and their concern is that two other pipelines in New York State, the Northern Access Pipeline in Western New York, and the Valley Lateral Pipeline in Orange Co., were both overturned by federal court because the Cuomo administration did not declare water permit denials in a timely manner. At a time when the federal government is trying to fast-track pipelines and strip states of their rights to deny projects, they’re urging Cuomo to respond quickly and boldly.

The hunger-strikers say that the Williams NESE pipeline will impact New York waters, and our health, safety, democracy, and climate. Despite banning fracking in 2014, Governor Cuomo has approved fracked gas infrastructure projects across the state. Independent researchers are finding large leakage rates of methane from both fracking and fracking infrastructure, putting Cuomo’s approval of pipelines and power plants at odds with the State’s climate goals.

This will be the first major fracked gas infrastructure project Cuomo's administration will rule on after his announcement of a "Green New Deal" for New York. 