Williams Companies gets clean water permits for Northeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline – Fox Business

Report on the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline Project and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Project Approval and Overview

• Williams Companies has secured the necessary clean water permits for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline Project.
• The states of New York and New Jersey granted approval following three previous rejections.
• The project represents a $1 billion investment in an underwater natural gas pipeline.
• It will transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to the New York City metropolitan area.

Contribution to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The NESE Pipeline project directly supports the objectives of SDG 7 by aiming to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all.

• Energy Affordability: The project is designed to address the high cost of energy in the New York City area, where natural gas prices can be up to 30 times the national average during winter. By increasing supply, it aims to lower consumer costs, a key target of SDG 7. CEO Chad Zamarin noted that natural gas can be produced at a cost equivalent of 50 cents per gallon of gasoline, highlighting its potential as an affordable energy source.
• Energy Reliability and Access: The pipeline will expand energy delivery capacity significantly, providing enough natural gas to power over two million homes. This enhances energy security and ensures a reliable supply for a major urban population, contributing to universal access to energy services.
• Clean Energy Transition: The project is positioned as a tool for decarbonization. By displacing higher-emission fuels like fuel oil, which is heavily used in New York City, the pipeline facilitates a transition to a cleaner energy source. Natural gas is credited with contributing to over 60% of emissions reductions in the United States over the past decade.

Alignment with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The project is a significant development in building resilient infrastructure to promote sustainable industrialization and support economic development, in line with SDG 9.

1. Infrastructure Development: The construction of the NESE pipeline is a major investment in critical energy infrastructure required for economic stability and growth in the region.
2. Supporting Economic Well-being: By providing a stable and affordable energy source, the pipeline supports industries and communities, ensuring that they have the power needed for daily operations and future development. A report on a similar project, the Constitution Pipeline, projected it would reduce consumer costs in New England by over $11.5 billion, demonstrating the direct economic impact of such infrastructure.

Impact on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The NESE pipeline contributes to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, as targeted by SDG 11.

• Access to Basic Services: The project ensures that residents of the New York City area have reliable access to a basic service—energy for heating and electricity.
• Environmental Sustainability in Cities: By enabling a shift away from fuel oil, the pipeline helps reduce air pollution in a densely populated urban area, improving the environmental quality and health of the community.

Addressing SDG 13: Climate Action

While a fossil fuel project, its implementation is framed as an immediate and practical step toward climate action, contributing to the goals of SDG 13.

• Emissions Reduction Strategy: CEO Chad Zamarin stated that natural gas has been the “most powerful decarbonization tool” in the U.S. over the last ten years. The pipeline’s primary climate benefit is its role in displacing more carbon-intensive fuels, thereby lowering the overall carbon footprint of the region’s energy consumption.
• Integrating Climate Measures: The project reflects an approach of integrating climate change measures into infrastructure policy and planning by prioritizing lower-emission fuel sources as part of a transitional energy strategy.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline Project connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on energy, infrastructure, and climate action.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The core theme of the article is the provision of natural gas as an energy source. The CEO’s statements repeatedly emphasize “energy affordability,” “reliability,” and “clean energy,” directly aligning with the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article centers on the development of a major piece of energy infrastructure—the “$1 billion underwater pipeline.” This project is presented as a crucial development for providing reliable energy, which is a key component of building resilient infrastructure to support economic development and human well-being.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly discusses the role of natural gas in climate action. The CEO claims that natural gas is a “powerful decarbonization tool” and that it has been responsible for significant “emissions reductions” by “displacing higher emissions fuels” like fuel oil. This directly links the project to strategies for combating climate change.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The pipeline is designed to deliver natural gas to the “New York City area,” a major urban center. By aiming to provide affordable and reliable energy, the project impacts the sustainability and quality of life for the city’s residents, addressing the need for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s discussion, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
  • The article supports this target by highlighting that the NESE pipeline will expand the delivery of natural gas, “adding enough capacity to power over 2 million homes.” The repeated emphasis on “energy affordability and reliability” for consumers directly addresses the core components of this target.
• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
  • The NESE pipeline is a “$1 billion” infrastructure project designed to be a “reliable” source of energy for the New York City area. The goal of reducing high energy costs in the region points to the aim of providing more affordable and equitable access.
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
  • The CEO’s argument that natural gas is a “decarbonization tool” that has “driven down emissions” by replacing higher-emission fuels like fuel oil presents the pipeline as a strategic measure to address climate change. The approval of the project after initial rejections reflects a policy-level decision that incorporates this energy strategy.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several explicit and implied indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 7.1 (Access to Energy): The article states the pipeline will provide “enough capacity to power over 2 million homes.” This number serves as a direct indicator of increased access to modern energy services.
• Indicator for Target 7.1 (Affordability): The article provides multiple financial metrics related to energy affordability.
  • The claim that a similar project “would reduce cost to the consumers in New England by over $11.5 billion” over its lifetime implies a measurable financial benefit.
  • The comparison of natural gas costs in New York City (“three times the national average cost” and sometimes “30 times the national average”) provides a baseline against which the project’s impact on affordability can be measured.
• Indicator for Target 9.1 (Investment in Infrastructure): The project’s cost of “$1 billion” is a direct indicator of financial investment in developing new energy infrastructure.
• Indicator for Target 13.2 (Emissions Reduction): The article provides a specific figure for past emissions reductions, stating that “More than 60 percent of the emissions reductions in the United States were because of natural gas displacing higher emissions fuels.” This percentage serves as an indicator of the climate impact of transitioning to natural gas from other fossil fuels.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: foxbusiness.com