Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Oct. 1 called on the Trump Administration to expedite federal review of the expansion of the Algonquin gas pipeline, known as the Reliable Affordable Resilient Enhancement (RARE) Project, that she has previously supported.
The project is expected to provide gas supply to 600,000 gas customers and lower gas bills by $40 million each year, Healey's office said in a news release.
In a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Healey urged the Trump Administration to move quickly on the federal reviews and permits required for RARE and to establish clear schedules, coordinate across federal agencies and dedicate the resources necessary to keep the project on track.
She also emphasized that an expedited timeline should not come at the expense of environmental review or meaningful engagement with affected communities.
As an expansion, most of the construction work will involve upgrading infrastructure already in place, Healey's office said.
In January, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) approved two 10-year agreements between Eversource gas utilities and Algonquin to deliver new gas supplies to customers.
The additional gas supply is expected to reduce reliance on higher-cost imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Everett LNG Terminal, resulting in $40 million in direct savings per year, Healey's office said.
The project is currently undergoing federal environmental review through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
