In an unsurprising move, the New York state authorities rejected a proposal for a new natural gas pipeline that would have supplied 400 million cu ft of natural gas daily to the state where energy demand is growing, but so is fossil fuel opposition on the highest political level. Reuters quotes the New York Department of Environmental Conservation as saying in its reasons for the rejection of the Williams project that “Construction of the proposed project would result in significant water quality impacts from the re-suspension of sediments and other contaminants, including mercury and copper.” A spokesman for Williams called the issue raised by the regulator “minor” and said the company would resubmit its application and expect to get al necessary permits “quickly.” This might be unfounded optimism: ever since the previous governor of New York, David Paterson, introduced a moratorium on fracking in New York back in 2010, […]