Statement from Mayor Bill de Blasio on the North Brooklyn Pipeline Project

December 3, 2020

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today joined with advocates and elected officials to call on National Grid to halt the North Brooklyn Pipeline project.

“Climate change is an existential threat to our city and we must transition quickly to clean energy. Today, I am voicing my opposition to National Grid’s North Brooklyn Pipeline because we cannot justify the environmental impacts on the largely Black and Brown residents of Brooklyn associated with an unnecessary pipeline expansion. Racial and environmental justice go hand-in-hand, and National Grid has failed to clearly demonstrate that this pipeline is needed to keep New Yorkers warm and safe. I am calling on them to withdraw this project immediately," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“Our climate crisis demands an end to new fossil fuel infrastructure, here in New York City and around the globe,” said Daniel Zarrilli, NYC's Chief Climate Policy Advisor. “Even in this moment as federal climate leadership is poised to re-emerge, it is clear that cities like New York will need to continue raising their climate ambitions. Earlier this year, Mayor de Blasio signed a ground-breaking executive order opposing new fossil fuel infrastructure serving our city and we are following through on that pledge. That’s why we are divesting our pensions from fossil fuels, investing billions into job-creating climate solutions like solar, wind, and hydro, and fighting destructive projects like the Williams pipeline and the North Brooklyn pipeline that are undermining our future.”

“With the Mayor’s announcement against National Grid’s fracked gas pipeline, there is now unanimous opposition from local city, state, and federal elected officials and tens of thousands of New Yorkers in the affected areas from Brownsville to Greenpoint. So far National Grid has ignored the will of the people and continued construction, but New York City is united against their plans to lock us in to decades of raising our rates for more fossil fuels, pollution, and climate chaos for their private profit. We look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor’s office as we operationalize the Executive Order to end the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, like the LNG facility at the apex of the North Brooklyn Pipeline,” said Kim Fraczek, Director, Sane Energy Project, a co-founding member of No NBK Pipeline Coalition.

“We have to prioritize lower income communities of color that have been stripped of resources and exploited for profit for too long. We’re calling on our elected officials to fight this pipeline with sustainable love through environmental practices. Restorative justice includes environmental justice for the Black and Brown communities. Going forward, we must foster bold solutions that would prevent projects like the Metropolitan Reliability Infrastructure (North Brooklyn Pipeline) from ever being constructed in this neighborhood.  We need more investments in sustainable development, green spaces, clean energy and processes that reflect social inclusion and equity for our community. Brownsville is not a sacrifice zone," said Gabriel Jamison, a founding member of the Brownsville Residents Green Committee.

“Mayor de Blasio’s opposition to the North Brooklyn fracked gas pipeline is welcome news and yet another clear signal that New Yorkers will never allow National Grid to double down on fossil fuels. It’s obvious that we must not build infrastructure that will lock us into decades of ruinous reliance on fossil fuels. We’re proud to stand united with Mayor de Blasio and New Yorkers from all five boroughs in opposition to the North Brooklyn Pipeline and all other new fossil fuel projects,” said Alex Beauchamp, Northeast Region Director at Food & Water Watch, a member of the No NBK Pipeline Coalition.

“As a Brownsville resident and Sandy survivor, it’s good to see the City oppose this polluting project. It’s time to go off fracked gas. It makes no sense to build entirely new gas infrastructure, and then let National Grid stick all of us with the bill,” said Rachel Rivera, a member of New York Communities for Change. 

“People power stopped the Williams fracked gas pipeline. People power secured an executive order from the mayor of the biggest city in USA banning new fossil fuel infrastructure. Now the mayor is seeing that forward, clearly opposing the unnecessary and risky North Brooklyn pipeline. It's time for National Grid to wake up and realize the future is in renewables, not yet more losing attempts at building new fracked gas infrastructure,” said Dominique Thomas, lead organizer, 350.org.

"Throughout our history, Black and Brown communities have borne the brunt of environmental neglect and systemic racism. Today we say 'enough.' This is why I have stood in opposition to the North Brooklyn pipeline's expansion through Brownsville and stand with the community's demand that this project be withdrawn," said State Senator Zellnor Myrie.

“I commend Mayor de Blasio for joining me and many other elected officials and activists in calling for the halt of the North Brooklyn Pipeline project.  If New York is to meet its ambitious goals of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2040, we must stop investing in dirty fossil fuel infrastructure that is meant to last for decades," said Assembly Member Robert Carroll. 

“We are voicing our opposition to National Grid’s North Brooklyn Pipeline. This pipeline is a classic example of environmental racism. We demand environmental justice! Our communities are already plagued with polluted air, polluted water and other environmental hazards. Due to these pollutants the people in our communities disproportionally suffer from high rates of health illnesses. So we say no to this pipeline,” said Assembly Member Charles Barron and Council Member Inez Barron.

"The North Brooklyn Pipeline is a threat to our Black and brown communities in the midst of a pandemic that has already laid bare inequities. Our city must focus on investments in renewable energy and combatting climate change. A pipeline through Brooklyn would be a major step away from progress. I applaud Mayor Bill de Blasio for his stand against the project," said Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte.

"I applaud the Mayor for using his voice to call for an end to this MRI pipeline project. I especially commend the resilience of my constituents, the Nehemiah Homeowners Association, the Brownsville Residents Green Committee, and the Ocean-Hill Brownsville Coalition of Young Professionals, for standing strong on your values and commitment to environmental justice, but the work is not done. We are just beginning to be heard on our demand for clean and renewable energy systems in our communities. We want an end to the emissions of greenhouse gasses and criteria air pollutants in our communities that lead to a disproportionately negative impact on our residents, many of which are already suffering from a plethora of respiratory health issues. Let this serve as a notice that every New Yorker's voice matters and when our community is not given the same regard as others we will speak truth to power and we will not cease until we have the victory for our residents," said Assembly Member Latrice Walker

"With the climate crisis before us, National Grid’s proposed North Brooklyn Pipeline simply cannot be justified. Climate Central’s recent study makes clear that even without new fossil fuel infrastructure like the North Brooklyn Pipeline, New York City will bear the brunt of rising seas and environmental degradation, brought about in large part by our current reliance on fossil fuels.  We simply have no time left, which is why I have fought aggressively and legislatively against the creation of new fossil fuel infrastructures, and for clean energy and the creation of Public Power. I stand with the Mayor and the environmental advocates in urging National Grid to stop this project," said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

"I applaud the Mayor for standing with advocates, community members and City, State, and Federal elected officials in opposing the North Brooklyn fracked gas pipeline. The need to address our climate crisis is urgent and we can no longer continue to rely on dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure. Thank you to the community members leading this fight: North Brooklyn has long showed up to fight environmental injustices in our neighborhoods and the advocacy that has come together to stop this pipeline is stronger than ever. New York does not need more gas -- we need a rapid shift to renewable energy. I look forward to working with the mayor and local leaders to ensure this pipeline is fully halted and we stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, like National Grid’s Greenpoint LNG facility,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.

“I am proud to lend my voice to the frontline communities that have fought hard against the North Brooklyn Pipeline project," said Council Member Costa Constantinides. "Every day that fossil fuels are burned in our city adds to the climate burden borne disproportionately by communities of color. We owe it to these communities to stand against new fossil fuel infrastructure and instead support a just transition to renewables."

“Today is a big day for environmental justice in North Brooklyn. For the past year National Grid has been digging up our streets in order to expand their use of fossil fuels in the City of New York. This action was being taken at a time when we are beginning to see the horrifying effects of climate change, from devastating fires to more frequent storms and flooding. The time to stop the use of fossil fuels is now. Our community knows this all too well and it was the hard work of a group of tireless advocates that put this on the City's radar and led to today's announcement from Mayor de Blasio that he would oppose any further work by National Grid on the North Brooklyn pipeline. We are no stranger to environmental justice fights in North Brooklyn, however this fight impacted multiple black and brown communities across the borough. The time has come to begin grappling with the environmental racism that impacts marginalized communities to this day. Today's announcement is a great first step, but we have so much more to do. I want to thank the advocates who worked so hard to make today's announcement a reality. I am also redoubling my commitment to deliver environmental justice to communities across the City who continue to grapple with systemic injustice in our society,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso.