FACT SHEET: The Energy Department is Advancing the Constitution Pipeline to Strengthen National Security and Lower Energy Costs in the Northeast

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS EXPANDING CRITICAL NATURAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NORTHEAST 

• On Monday, October 19, 2026, Secretary Wright visited New York to announce the Energy Department’s commitment of up to $42 million in Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funding to advance the Constitution Pipeline, a proposed 125-mile natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York.
• The Constitution Pipeline will strengthen American energy security by expanding domestic natural gas infrastructure, lowering energy costs, and reducing blackout risks across the Northeast.
  • New York relies on supplies from other states and Canada to meet 85% of its total energy needs and consumes nearly seven times more energy than it produces, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA),
  • Expanding natural gas infrastructure will strengthen fuel availability for electricity generation and home heating, particularly during extreme winter weather and periods of peak demand.
• The Energy Department will use DPA Title III funding to advance critical development and permitting activities for the Constitution Pipeline.
  • The funding will incentivize permitting activities and, after permits are obtained, remaining funds will support the deployment of complementary natural gas infrastructure.
• Thanks to President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut, the Energy Department is advancing critical natural gas infrastructure to strengthen American energy security and national defense.
  • The Working Families Tax Cut appropriated $1 billion for energy-related projects deemed critical to national security.
  • In April 2026, President Trump issued issued Presidential Determination No. 2026-12, identifying natural gas pipelines, processing, and storage infrastructure as essential to national defense.

THE CONSTITUTION PIPELINE WILL STRENGTHEN ENERGY SECURITY AND LOWER COSTS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES

• The Constitution Pipeline would expand access to Pennsylvania's abundant, low-cost natural gas, helping lower electricity and home heating costs while strengthening energy security across the Northeast.
  • Additional pipeline capacity would ease longstanding natural gas supply constraints and lower electricity and home heating costs across New York and New England.
  • The pipeline would provide enough natural gas to meet the energy needs of 3 million homes.
  • The Constitution Pipeline could deliver nearly $5 billion in energy savings, resulting in approximately $165 million in annual consumer savings for New York and the Northeast.
  • Northeasterners who heat with natural gas will pay $1,236 less on average this winter than those who use oil. 
• American families and businesses across the Northeast face some of the highest electricity costs in the nation, despite their proximity to abundant American natural gas.
  • In July 2026, New England’s average residential electricity reached 28 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh)—more than 1.5 times the national average of 18.31 cents per kWh.
• Limited natural gas pipeline capacity has contributed to higher energy prices across the Northeast, particularly during periods of peak demand.
  • During Winter Storm Fern in January 2026, natural gas prices near Boston were more than twice as high as those in Pennsylvania, highlighting the high cost of constrained natural gas resources across the Northeast. 

HIGH ENERGY PRICES IN THE NORTHEAST ARE A CHOICE 

• For nearly a decade, New York policymakers have blocked critical natural gas pipeline infrastructure, weakening energy security, restricting access to affordable American energy, and driving up electricity and home heating costs.
  • In 2016, New York regulators denied a water quality certification for the Constitution Pipeline, preventing the project from moving forward.
  • These restrictions have limited opportunities to transport Pennsylvania’s abundant, low-cost natural gas to consumers across the Northeast, particularly during periods of peak demand.
  • Under President Trump’s leadership, Secretary Wright joined the groundbreaking of the previously blocked Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline in April 2026, advancing critical natural gas infrastructure for New York City and Long Island.
• By advancing the Constitution Pipeline, the Energy Department is working to overcome longstanding infrastructure barriers, strengthen America's energy security, and expand access to affordable, reliable natural gas across the Northeast.
  • Additional pipeline capacity would massively ease regional supply constraints, lower energy prices, and strengthen fuel availability for electricity generation and home heating during extreme weather.