Village of New Paltz Votes Against Pipeline Expansion

On April 10, at the bi-weekly Village Board Meeting, New Paltz trustees voted in favor of a resolution to urge Gov. Kathy Hochul to oppose the Iroquois Pipeline Expansion.

Drafted by Deputy Mayor Alexandria Wojcik, the resolution directly addresses the environmental risks of an increase in fracked gas that the pipeline expansion poses, specifically the compression systems that the company, Iroquois Gas Transmission System L.P., have proposed in Athens, N.Y., Dover, N.Y., Brookfield, Conn., and Milford, Conn.. The resolution also declares the expansion to be in direct violation of New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The act, signed into law in 2019, outlines New York’s goals to “reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 and establish net zero emissions in all sectors of the economy.”

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a drilling method in which oil or natural gas is extracted from the ground. By digging wells and injecting “fracking fluid” (which consists of mostly water and chemical additives), a highly pressurized point is created as the rocks fracture and create fissures, allowing for oil and natural gas to flow. This method has been in practice since the 1940s and has raised numerous environmental and health concerns among concerned groups. System failures, pipeline leaks and explosions are among the more worrisome issues. 

A report from FracTracker, a non-profit organization dedicated to analyzing and identifying issues of fracking in communities across the United States, lists over 5,500 incidents and over $4 billion in damages from pipelines between 2010-2018. The board’s resolution also identifies nitrogen oxide and benzene as key air pollutants from pipeline compression systems, posing threats to human health and safety as well as environmental degradation.

New York State’s fight against fracking has been ongoing, with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signing a permanent ban in 2020. A loophole was quickly found when a Texas company, Southern Tier Solutions, sought to buy land from New York and use liquid carbon dioxide instead of water. Lawmakers have nearly closed the loophole last month, as an expanded definition is waiting for Gov. Hochul’s signature to ban liquid carbon dioxide. 

Iroquois Gas Transmission System L.P.’s proposal was met with heavy backlash from environmentalist groups and legislators, who sent a letter in December urging Gov. Hochul to stand against the expansion and to “prioritize the well-being of the people of New York and the environment over the profits of the fossil fuel industry.” A large number of legislators signed this letter, including Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, New Paltz’s Deputy Mayor Wojcik and Village Board Trustee Stana Wiesburd. The village board’s resolution underscored points brought up in this letter, affirming New Paltz’s stance against the pipeline’s expansion.

“The Village of New Paltz has always been an environmental leader, standing up and speaking out when maybe more frontline impacted communities aren’t as able to,” said Wojcik, who has been a major voice throughout this effort. “[The pipeline’s expansion] goes against the spirit of our fracking ban and actively works against the goals of the CLCPA. We must put an end to fracked gas infrastructure and focus on our green energy future.”