Based on comments made by Connecticut Senate Republicans regarding a potential expansion of natural gas pipelines, observers might conclude they are in full support of bringing pipelines into New England — until you read their other public comments.
On March 12 and March 14, Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding and Sen. Ryan Fazio, a ranking Republican on the Energy and Technology Committee, issued two statements. The first followed comments made by Gov. Ned Lamont supporting increased supply of natural gas in Connecticut. The second referred to potential new natural gas pipeline projects that could be built if approved by the state of New York.
“We urge the governor to work expeditiously with neighboring states to explore greater access to natural gas here in Connecticut in order to lower costs and protect winter reliability,” the senators said on March 12.
“Gov. Lamont is right to push to get more energy from nuclear and natural gas into New England,” they said on March 14. “The governor is also right to continue working with our neighboring states and the federal government to explore greater access to natural gas here in CT.”
Harding has a record of defending natural gas, even stating – incorrectly – that the fuel source has “no carbon emissions.”
On Jan. 23, Harding also posted to Facebook in support of natural gas, pointing to a Republican-led plan seeking to increase the supply of the fuel source.
Ignoring the fact that natural gas is already Connecticut’s most-used power source which already exposes the state to increased cost volatility, the senator’s public comments suggest that natural gas is a wonderful fuel source with endless benefits for Connecticut and should be the main focus of the state’s energy sector — unless that natural gas is being produced in his district.
Harding has for years fought the expansion of a natural gas compressor station in Brookfield, telling the Danbury News-Times in 2023 that living “a mile and a half from this station” means it will impact him and he is “100% against this.”
Doubling the capacity of the compressor station would provide receipt of 125 million cubic feet of natural gas per day more than the state currently receives.
Brookfield residents oppose the planned expansion claiming health hazards in the nearby region, though the expansion isn’t expected to impact public recreation or wildlife habitats and would provide $1.8 million in additional tax revenue to the town. These concerns are puzzling when taken in context of Harding’s past statements, including that natural gas has no carbon emissions, meaning it shouldn’t be harmful to local communities.
One might expect that given his previous comments, Harding would support the expansion of any of Connecticut’s 42 other natural gas production plants.
Just not the one in his backyard.
