The proposed Constitution Pipeline that would carry natural gas from Pennsylvania to a regional interconnection point in eastern New York would be a huge mistake for many reasons, many of which reporter Jim Puzzanghera details in “Gas pipeline hopes, challenges reemerge” (Page A1, May 19).
First, it would perpetuate New England’s heavy reliance on natural gas. That is not a sensible long-term solution, especially when the additional power would be required for only “a few days of the year,” according to Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper.
Second, Donald Trump’s promise that the pipeline would save each family $5,000 is wildly inflated and ignores the project’s estimated cost of at least $1.2 billion. Moreover, it would take up to five years to complete, by which time the Trump administration will be gone and, with reasonable likelihood, more realistic energy and environmental policies would utilize sustainable alternatives.
Third, once expensive infrastructure is in place, it becomes difficult to mothball due to the enormous upfront sunken costs.
Finally, and most important, New England needs energy independence that doesn’t mortgage our environmental future. Offshore wind, solar, next-generation nuclear, and other renewable power solutions deserve priority, not pipelines that lock us into decades of pollution.
Jonathan Quint
Goffstown, N.H.