Federal agencies should intervene to prevent local energy utility closures

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Pipeline capacity constraints in the Northeast contributed to petroleum briefly surpassing natural gas as New England's leading source of electricity generation during Winter Storm Fern in January 2026

Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on October 19, 2026, that expanding natural gas supply through the Constitution Pipeline is intended to lower regional energy costs and prevent electricity blackouts

Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on October 19, 2026, that the Trump administration hopes construction on the Constitution Pipeline begins next spring to enter service by the winter of 2028

The Department of Energy announced on October 19, 2026, that the Trump administration will provide up to $42 million under Title III of the Defense Production Act to support pre-construction, environmental, and permitting activities for the Constitution Pipeline

Constitution Pipeline Co. asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in December 2025 to reissue the federal certificate it had received in 2014 following renewed interest from infrastructure company Williams Companies

President Donald Trump issued a presidential determination in April 2026 invoking the Defense Production Act to support domestic natural gas infrastructure amid permitting delays and pipeline bottlenecks

The Constitution Pipeline received federal approval in 2014, but New York regulators denied a required water-quality certification in 2016, leading developers to abandon the project in 2020

Ken Lovett, senior communications adviser on energy and environment for New York Governor Kathy Hochul, criticized the Department of Energy's $42 million Constitution Pipeline funding announcement on October 19, 2026, calling it a political ploy

Ken Lovett stated on October 19, 2026, that President Donald Trump's policies have driven up home energy costs while Governor Kathy Hochul remains focused on an all-of-the-above energy strategy

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that heating oil prices will average 34% higher in winter 2026 than the prior winter, increasing household heating expenses by about 21%

Pension funds should prioritize financial returns over social or environmental goals

During the October 13 Wasilla rally, President Donald Trump declared that an 800-mile natural gas pipeline in Alaska had secured every necessary federal permit

On October 12, 2026, Donald Trump directed the U.S. Departments of Energy and Commerce to prevent the shutdown of a Youngstown, Ohio, steam-powered heating facility that provides heating for 24 major buildings

A steam-powered heat utility facility in Youngstown, Ohio, provides heating for 24 major buildings and faced potential closure entering the winter season

Having children is irresponsible in a climate crisis

The Environmental Law & Policy Center filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in September 2026 over changes to solar project eligibility under the Rural Energy for America Program.

Prior to the October 2026 rule changes, the USDA Rural Energy for America Program allowed farmers to apply for grants covering up to half of project costs before breaking ground.

The Trump administration paused applications for the Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy for America Program in 2026 while rewriting program regulations.

Under USDA Rural Energy for America Program changes effective October 16, 2026, farmers must complete energy projects and demonstrate one year of energy savings before applying for funding.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated in 2025 that solar developments were consuming prime farmland needed for crops when restricting REAP solar eligibility.