Trump revives Constitution Pipeline plan, pressuring Democrats amid rising energy costs

United States President Donald Trump - File Photo

A decade after the Constitution Pipeline was shelved by environmental opposition and regulatory hurdles, US President Donald Trump is pushing to revive the natural gas project - and this time, some of the same Democratic governors who once cheered its defeat are reconsidering, the Washington Post reported.

Trump has labelled the stalled 124-mile pipeline - which would carry gas from Pennsylvania to upstate New York - a cornerstone of his effort to tackle what he calls an "energy emergency" in the Northeast. Electricity prices in the region are 40 percent above the national average, and supply shortages have left many low-income communities burdened with high heating bills. Facing voter pressure, governors in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are signalling new openness to discussing gas infrastructure.

Democratic governors shift tone amid energy anxiety

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose state previously dealt a death blow to the pipeline in 2016 by denying a key water permit, met with Trump at the White House this month. Her office called the meeting "productive," raising speculation of a potential deal. Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont has also met with Trump officials, and Massachusetts' Governor Maura Healey - a vocal opponent of Constitution in the past - now faces pressure to ease resistance amid soaring costs and offshore wind delays.

Even in Maine, where Democrats have set aggressive climate targets, Governor Janet Mills has resisted a proposed ban on new gas infrastructure, reflecting broader concerns over affordability and energy reliability.

A comeback amid political realignment

Trump's push comes as some Democrats worry about losing support in working-class, energy-stressed communities. A February report by the Progressive Policy Institute found that energy costs were a top concern in predominantly Black neighbourhoods in Boston - areas where Trump gained ground in 2024.

"Elites love tax credits for heat pumps, but poor renters just want affordable heating," said Elan Sykes, the report's author. Trump's message of cheap energy through infrastructure resonates where climate policy benefits feel intangible.

Environmental and landowner resistance remains strong

Despite growing political interest, the pipeline faces stiff resistance from environmental groups and landowners along the route. Critics warn that expanding gas infrastructure would lock the region into decades of fossil fuel dependency, threatening state climate goals.

"If we want to have a prayer of hitting our climate targets, we have to stop building pipelines," said Alex Beauchamp of Food and Water Watch.

Landowners like Megan Holleran, whose family's maple syrup farm was damaged during the first construction attempt, remain firmly opposed. "Nothing has changed - we won't sign an easement," she said, recounting the devastation of losing 500 mature maple trees in 2016.

Trump pushes fast-track authority

Trump and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright are promoting executive orders that would fast-track the permitting process through a newly formed White House council on energy infrastructure. Constitution could become a test case for that effort, with developers like Williams Energy hinting at renewed interest if federal backing is secured.

Still, pipeline developers remain cautious. These are multi-decade investments, and the Northeast's future energy mix may not favour gas. Offshore wind, solar, and nuclear projects - though delayed - are expected to come online in the coming years.

But for now, the Constitution Pipeline is once again front and centre - not only as a symbol of Trump's energy agenda, but as a test of how far Democrats are willing to bend under the political pressure of rising energy costs.