New York just greenlit a natural gas pipeline that’s got everyone from Albany to D.C. buzzing with both cheers and jeers.

On Friday, Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on a critical water permit for the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, a Donald Trump-supported project set to deliver much-needed natural gas to New York City, despite fierce opposition from some of her party’s biggest names, as the Daily Caller reports.

This isn’t just a local plumbing job; it’s a nearly 24-mile underwater lifeline stretching from Pennsylvania through New Jersey to the Big Apple, promising to ease the strain on a state plagued by sky-high utility bills.

Hochul Reverses Past Denials

Let’s rewind a bit -- earlier rejections by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation had kept this project in limbo, but Hochul’s latest move, alongside a matching permit from New Jersey, flips the script.

Still, the road ahead isn’t all smooth sailing, as the developer must submit a Dredge Management Plan to address potential sediment issues, per the state’s environmental watchdogs.

Meanwhile, New York’s energy grid struggles with reliability, thanks to an over-reliance on inconsistent sources like wind and solar, a point conservatives have hammered for years as bills keep climbing.

Trump Weighs In

Speaking of energy costs, Trump didn’t mince words on Truth Social on Nov. 3, blasting Hochul for what he sees as a failure to tackle the problem head-on.

He wrote that she “is killing the entire region with Energy Prices that are OUT OF CONTROL,” pinning the blame on stalled pipeline projects in Upstate and Long Island (Donald Trump, Truth Social).

Trump’s not wrong to point out the pain at the pump -- or the thermostat -- though one wonders if his administration’s hard pivot away from green energy toward coal and nuclear is the full answer either.

Democrats Push Back on Pipeline Approval

Not everyone’s popping champagne over this permit -- key New York Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sounded the alarm back on Oct. 15, urging Hochul to weigh the environmental fallout.

They have a point about protecting the planet, but when folks can’t afford to heat their homes, it’s hard to prioritize abstract climate goals over immediate survival.

Hochul, for her part, seems to be threading the needle, showing interest in nuclear energy as a stable alternative after the Indian Point plant shuttered in 2021.

Hochul Defends Energy Strategy

The governor herself laid out her reasoning, saying, “As Governor, a top priority is making sure the lights and heat stay on for all New Yorkers as we face potential energy shortages downstate as soon as next summer."

She added, “We are facing war against clean energy from Washington Republicans, including our New York delegation, which is why we have adopted an all-of-the-above approach."

While her “all-of-the-above” stance sounds pragmatic, it’s a tough sell when progressive policies have left the grid vulnerable to blackouts.