The Trump administration has authorized up to $42 million in federal funding to advance the Constitution Pipeline, a long-stalled 125-mile natural gas pipeline connecting Pennsylvania’s drilling fields to New York. The project, proposed in 2012 by Williams Partners, was previously approved by federal regulators in 2014 but blocked by New York officials in 2020 after years of opposition from environmental groups and community advocates.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff completed an environmental assessment in August, concluding the project would not impact the human environment. A public comment period closed in mid-September, and the administration has indicated it will proceed despite prior state-level opposition.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated in an October 19 statement that the pipeline would lower electricity and home heating costs across the Northeast and reduce blackout risks by expanding access to low-cost natural gas. Wright added, “Despite America having an abundant supply of low-cost natural gas, tens of millions of Americans have limited access to this reliable energy source due to a lack of pipeline infrastructure.”
The pipeline was originally proposed to transport natural gas to markets with limited access to affordable fuel. After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejected its Clean Water Act water-quality permit in 2016, the project was abandoned. In 2025, President Donald Trump revived discussions, stating in the spring that he hoped to avoid using federal authority but would do so if necessary. In December 2025, Constitution Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Williams Partners, filed a petition to reissue the certificates required for construction.
Federal agencies are expected to finalize approvals in the coming months, though the project remains controversial among environmental and community groups.