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The Legal Case Against NY Law Taxing O&G $75B for Global Warming

Not only did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, an extremist liberal, sign a ban on using carbon dioxide to frack wells in the state at the last minute before the end of the current legislative session (see New York Has Fallen: Gov. Hochul Signs CO2 Frack Ban Into Law), she followed it up by signing into law a new climate bill forcing fossil fuel companies to pay $75 billion in “recovery” assessments over the next 25 years for their alleged role in causing “extreme weather” (see NY Gov. Hochul Goes Nuts: Signs Law Billing O&G Companies $75B). A Forbes article discusses how the NY law is completely unconstitutional and illegal. Read More “The Legal Case Against NY Law Taxing O&G $75B for Global Warming”

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NPCC Study Says NY, New England Each Need 7.1 GW of Gas-Fired Power

Yesterday, the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) announced the completion of the NPCC Northeast Gas/Electric System Study. Initiated in 2023, the study evaluated New York and New England gas supply and gas pipeline constraints for extreme and protracted winter events during the peak heating season, from December through February, for three time periods: 2024/25 (short-term), 2027/28 (mid-term) and 2032/33 (long-term). It shows that if we get an extended (more than three-day) cold snap, those of us living in NY or New England will be in trouble. Read More “NPCC Study Says NY, New England Each Need 7.1 GW of Gas-Fired Power”

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NY Gov. Hochul’s Frack Bans Lock $1 TRILLION Underground

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, an extremist liberal, recently signed a bill into law that bans using carbon dioxide to frack wells in the state (see New York Has Fallen: Gov. Hochul Signs CO2 Frack Ban Into Law). Her predecessor and boss, Andrew Cuomo, previously outlawed “regular” water-based fracking in early 2020 just as everyone was consumed with the unfolding COVID pandemic (see Cuomo PERMANENTLY Bans NY Fracking in Now-Adopted Budget). Their combined actions are a gross injustice for landowners and consumers in the state. The Southern Tier region of New York (where MDN editor Jim Willis lives) is economically depressed. Jonathan Lesser, a senior fellow with the National Center for Energy Analytics and the president of Continental Economics, recently published an article in the New York Post outlining his analysis that Hochul and Cuomo’s actions in banning all fracking in the state have locked away some $1 TRILLION worth of natural gas that sits under our feet. New York remains closed for business. Read More “NY Gov. Hochul’s Frack Bans Lock $1 TRILLION Underground”

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NY Gov. Hochul Goes Nuts: Signs Law Billing O&G Companies $75B

Just incredible. Not only did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, an extremist liberal, sign a ban on using carbon dioxide to frack wells in the state at the last minute before the end of the current legislative session (see New York Has Fallen: Gov. Hochul Signs CO2 Frack Ban Into Law), now comes word that she signed into law what can only be described as one of the biggest government shakedowns in history. Hochul last week signed a new climate bill forcing fossil fuel companies to pay $75 billion in “recovery” assessments over the next 25 years for their alleged role in causing “extreme weather.” She is off her rocker. Read More “NY Gov. Hochul Goes Nuts: Signs Law Billing O&G Companies $75B”

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New York Has Fallen: Gov. Hochul Signs CO2 Frack Ban Into Law

It took a full nine months, but New York’s leftist Governor, Kathy Hochul, didn’t disappoint her radicalized base of supporters. The NY legislature (both chambers controlled by Democrats) passed a ban on “CO2 fracking” (uses carbon dioxide instead of water) back in March of this year (see Radicals Win in NY – Senate Passes Permanent Ban on CO2 Fracking). Yet, as we told you in November, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul had still not signed the bill into law (see 8 Mo. After NY Legislature Passed CO2 Frack Ban, Gov Has Not Signed). Nobody seemed to know why she delayed signing the bill, but sometime over the past three days, she did sign it, much to the delight of radical Big Green groups (who contribute big money to her campaigns). Read More “New York Has Fallen: Gov. Hochul Signs CO2 Frack Ban Into Law”

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Radicals Again Demand NY Gov. Hochul Block Iroquois Compressors

Iroquois Gas Transmission’s Enhancement by Compression (ExC) project would increase horsepower at three compression stations — two in New York and one in Connecticut — by an extra 125 MMcf/d, to flow more Marcellus/Utica gas into New York City and New England. The two NY compressors include one in Dover and one in Athens. The CT compressor is located in Brookfield. The left, via the odious Food & Water Watch, has made a concerted effort to block the two NY compressor station upgrades (see Radicals Pressure NY Gov. Hochul to Block Iroquois Pipe Expansion). Food & Water Watch is at it again. Yesterday, the organization delivered yet another “Don’t do it!” letter to Hochul and held a rally at the State Capitol. Read More “Radicals Again Demand NY Gov. Hochul Block Iroquois Compressors”

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Western NY Bitcoin Plant Considers Swapping Clean Gas for Nuke Power

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In early 2023, Digihost Technology, a Canadian crypto mining company, bought the Fortistar gas-fired power plant in North Tonawanda, NY, a town close to Niagara Falls, in order to use it to power Digihost’s Bitcoin computers (see Canadian Bitcoin Operator Completes Purchase of WNY Gas-Fired Plant). Big Green kicked up a fuss, with lawyers from Earthjustice, representing two other radical groups—the Sierra Club and Clean Air Coalition of Western New York—suing to block the sale (see Green Radicals Sue NYS for Approving Niagara Falls Bitcoin Plant). As of November, the matter is still playing out in court (see Court Rescinds Approval of WNY Gas-Fired Plant Sale to Bitcoin Co.). Meanwhile, Digihost continues to operate the plant. However, Digihost is planning to change the plant from using natural gas to using nuclear power. Read More “Western NY Bitcoin Plant Considers Swapping Clean Gas for Nuke Power”

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$11B Power Line from Upstate NY Solar & Wind to NYC Canceled

For those unlucky enough to live in New York City and its sprawling suburbs, get ready for blackouts due to the lack of electricity. The state of New York and developers of the 175-mile Clean Path NY transmission line have “mutually agreed to terminate” contracts underpinning the project, which was planned to come online in 2027. Clean Path was supposed to bring 5 gigawatts (GW) of electricity from windmills and solar farms in Upstate New York to liberal elites living in and around NYC. The project was billed as “critical” to achieving New York’s climate goals, including 70% renewable electricity consumption by 2030 and developing a zero-emission electric grid by 2040. That’s all down the toilet now. Get ready to sit in the dark. Read More “$11B Power Line from Upstate NY Solar & Wind to NYC Canceled”

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Panic Sets In with NY’s 2026 Deadline Banning NatGas in New Homes

In January 2023, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, an extremist, floated a plan to ban natural gas hookups in every single new home and business across the “Empire” State (see NY Gov. Hochul Loses Her Mind – Wants to Ban Gas in New Buildings). She even wanted to ban gas in existing homes, but that was too much to stomach even for NY’s leftwing Democrats (see New York Legislators Block Hochul NatGas Ban for Existing Homes). As part of the 2023-2024 budget deal, Hochul got her way (see NY State has Fallen – Gas Stoves & Peaker Plants Banned in Budget). So now, beginning in 2026, new homes (or businesses) in New York State will not be allowed to connect to an existing natural gas pipeline system. You will be banned from installing a gas (or propane) stove in the house. It’s complete madness, and people are starting to push back and push back hard. Read More “Panic Sets In with NY’s 2026 Deadline Banning NatGas in New Homes”

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Still a Chance for NFG’s Northern Access Pipeline into New York?

One month ago, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) CEO David Bauer confirmed that his company had given up after battling for 10 years to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a 97-mile pipeline from McKean County in Pennsylvania into and through Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie counties in New York that would have flowed Marcellus gas into New York State (see NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It). The project faced intense opposition from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and later his successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Even though the project eventually won the right to build via the courts, years of opposition from NY increased the costs exponentially and led NFG to pass on building it. Yet 11 Congresspeople (from NY and PA) sent a letter to Gov. Hochul yesterday asking her to drop her opposition to the project. Huh? Read More “Still a Chance for NFG’s Northern Access Pipeline into New York?”

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It’s Time for NYC Dems to Give Upstate NY Counties Right to Frack

As we’ve pointed out a number of times this year, the New York legislature (both chambers controlled by radical Democrats) passed a ban on “CO2 fracking” (uses carbon dioxide instead of water) back in March of this year (see Radicals Win in NY – Senate Passes Permanent Ban on CO2 Fracking). Yet, as we told you just two weeks ago, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul has still not signed the bill into law (see 8 Mo. After NY Legislature Passed CO2 Frack Ban, Gov Has Not Signed). Time is quickly running out for her to sign it before the next session of the legislature convenes in January. At that point, the bill would have to be reintroduced and passed again. Is there a sliver of a chance she won’t sign it? Is there an even smaller sliver of a chance that Dems will reconsider their position and allow upstate counties to frack, given their shellacking not only nationally but here in Upstate, where Trump won almost every single county? Read More “It’s Time for NYC Dems to Give Upstate NY Counties Right to Frack”

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NY Whistling Past the Graveyard by Blocking New Gas-Fired Plants

Living in New York State, as MDN editor Jim Willis does, is like watching a slow-motion train wreck. You can see it coming; you warn those nearby to get off the tracks and leave the area, but no one is listening. We’re talking about the coming brownouts and blackouts across the state (especially in New York City) due to the state’s climate policies blocking new natural gas-fired power plants. This past summer, Danskammer Energy, which operates a gas-fired peaker power plant along the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY, withdrew its request to expand the plant (see Danskammer Energy Gives Up Trying to Expand Gas-Fired Peaker in NY). Everyone—environmentalists and pro-gas advocates alike—is asking, Has New York built its last fossil fuel plant? It appears the answer is YES. Read More “NY Whistling Past the Graveyard by Blocking New Gas-Fired Plants”

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Court Rescinds Approval of WNY Gas-Fired Plant Sale to Bitcoin Co.

In September 2022, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC), which oversees and regulates public utilities in the state, approved the takeover of the Fortistar gas-fired power plant in North Tonawanda, NY, a town close to Niagara Falls, by Canadian crypto mining company Digihost. In December 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) offered its blessing too. All of which prompted the radicals of Earthjustice, representing two other disgusting radical groups—the Sierra Club and Clean Air Coalition of Western New York—to sue (see Green Radicals Sue NYS for Approving Niagara Falls Bitcoin Plant). Fortunately, the lawsuit didn’t stop the transfer, which happened in early 2023 (see Canadian Bitcoin Operator Completes Purchase of WNY Gas-Fired Plant). However, Earthjustice continued to pursue its lawsuit and yesterday got a ruling from a state court to nullify the PSC’s original approval of the sale to Digihost. Read More “Court Rescinds Approval of WNY Gas-Fired Plant Sale to Bitcoin Co.”

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An In-Depth Look at Lee Zeldin, Nominated for Head of EPA

Lee Zeldin

Two days ago, MDN told you the great news that President Trump will nominate New York State’s own Lee Zeldin to lead the viper’s nest known as the Environmental Protection Agency (see Trump to Tap NY’s Lee Zeldin to Head EPA; Climate Radicals Enraged). The left’s heads have been exploding all week long with Trump’s picks, including Zeldin. However, one left-wing publication, Inside Climate News, has done some digging and published what we consider a pretty fair look at Zeldin’s career and how he might lead as head of the EPA. Read More “An In-Depth Look at Lee Zeldin, Nominated for Head of EPA”

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NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It

We hate this…writing yet another post mortem for a pipeline project in the Marcellus/Utica. Yesterday, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) CEO David Bauer confirmed that his company has given up after battling for 10 years to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a 97-mile pipeline from McKean County in Pennsylvania into and through Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie counties in New York that would have flowed Marcellus gas into New York State. The project faced intense opposition from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and later his lackey and successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Even though the project eventually won the right to build via the courts, years of opposition from NY increased the costs exponentially and led NFG to pass on building it. A very sad day. Score another victory for the Evil Empire State. Read More “NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It”

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8 Mo. After NY Legislature Passed CO2 Frack Ban, Gov Has Not Signed

Nearly eight months ago, the New York Senate passed a bill the Assembly had previously passed to ban the use of carbon dioxide in shale drilling (so-called “CO2 fracking”). Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, a reliable anti-fossil fueler, still has not signed the bill into law. What the heck is going on? Why is she missing in action? We’ve written about this a few times, beginning two months after the bill was passed (see our NY CO2 fracking stories here). No matter why she hasn’t yet signed the bill, the longer it goes unsigned, the better chance we who live in NY have of trying to persuade Hochul not to sign it. We hesitate to offer any hope, but while there’s still time, there’s hope, however small it may be. Read More “8 Mo. After NY Legislature Passed CO2 Frack Ban, Gov Has Not Signed”