Trump Is Pushing for This Pipeline. He’s in for a Fight.
April 10, 2025
By Avi Salzman and Laura Sanicola
The Constitution Pipeline, a proposed 124-mile natural-gas line from Pennsylvania to New York, has re-emerged as a central flashpoint in the Trump administration’s efforts to override state environmental regulations and promote fossil fuel infrastructure. Though the project was abandoned in 2020 due to permit denials and legal challenges, Trump now vows to move it forward—potentially by bypassing state authority.
Supporters argue the pipeline would reduce high energy costs in the Northeast by increasing gas supply. However, critics see it as a threat to state sovereignty and climate goals, especially as many Northeast states have passed laws to phase out fossil fuels.
Despite renewed political interest, the pipeline faces major economic, legal, and logistical obstacles. Developers would need permits to cross waterways, approval to seize land, and long-term contracts to justify the investment—challenges made more difficult by market volatility and environmental opposition.
Industry enthusiasm is also lacking. John Abeln, senior natural-gas analyst at RBN Energy, noted that only four rigs are currently active in the pipeline’s source region, down from 77 at its peak. “It seems like producers are pretty bearish on the region overall,” Abeln said. “I would assume they would be producing more if they thought that the Constitution Pipeline was going to start being built in the next year.”
Read the full article here Trump Is Pushing for the Constitution Pipeline. He Might Not Get It. - Barron's
Ultimately, without clear political support, financial backing, or market demand, the Constitution Pipeline remains stalled. Nonetheless, environmentalists are gearing up for another fight, fearing the project could still be revived.
