The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $42 million for work on the proposed Constitution Pipeline, a gas link still awaiting federal approval amid a New York water-quality certification dispute.
DOE said Oct. 19 that Title III of the Defense Production Act could fund work needed before construction. Potential uses include site preparation and engineering, as well as environmental reviews and permitting. The department said it could also consider support for complementary infrastructure after permits are complete.
Constitution Pipeline Company, LLC is seeking approval for about 125 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipe from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, to Schoharie County, New York. Its filing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) lists proposed firm transportation capacity of 650,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day, with deliveries intended for markets in New York and New England.
The dispute with New York concerns the Clean Water Act’s Section 401 water-quality certification. Constitution has asked FERC to confirm that the state waived its authority over the certification. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) disputes that claim and opposes renewing the federal certificate. The company withdrew its state certification application on Nov. 7, 2025.
The project has a history of stalled approvals. FERC approved an earlier version in December 2014, before a federal appeals court overturned the certificate. A former project partner said in a securities filing that developers later chose not to proceed as the venture’s economics weakened. The partner disposed of its stake in February 2020.
In an April 20, 2026, determination, the White House deemed natural gas transmission capacity essential to national defense and cited financing obstacles, permit delays and infrastructure bottlenecks. The announced support is directed at project development; DOE’s prediction that the pipeline would lower regional heating and electricity costs remains a forecast.
FERC’s pending-project list included the certificate request on Sept. 24. Commission staff issued an environmental assessment in August, but FERC said the assessment did not decide whether to authorize the pipeline. Williams targets a federal certificate in the fourth quarter of 2026 and service in the fourth quarter of 2028.
