Healey Seeks Expedited Review of Gas Pipeline Expansion in New England

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has written to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright requesting expedited review of Project RARE, a proposed gas pipeline expansion in New England. The project aims to increase natural gas capacity by about 75 million cubic feet per day and would involve upgrading the Algonquin pipeline system, which brings gas from New Jersey through southern New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and into Massachusetts.

Healey argues that Project RARE will lower costs for 600,000 customers in Massachusetts and reduce utilities' reliance on more expensive liquified natural gas. The project has already received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to purchase gas from Project RARE for 10 years, which is expected to save customers around $40 million annually.

However, some climate advocates have expressed concern about the project's potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions and its alignment with Massachusetts' legally binding requirements to reduce planet-warming emissions. The Sierra Club has criticized Healey's support for Project RARE, saying that it is 'deeply disappointed by the governor's choices around fossil fuel expansion.'