Long Island sits at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean; beautiful, vulnerable and exposed. We are in the heart of storm season, and do not have to dig deep to recall Superstorm Sandy, Tropical Storm Isaias and countless nor’easters that have ripped apart our shorelines, flooded basements and disrupted our lives. And yet, working people remain caught in the crossfire of political gamesmanship. How we power our economy is constantly presented as a choice between a clean environment and a strong economy. The reality is that we can and must have both.
Fortunately, Long Island elected officials in both parties have stepped up. Dan Panico, the Republican Brookhaven town supervisor, and Kathee Burke-Gonzalez the Democratic East Hampton town supervisor have allowed facts and information to guide their respective town’s policy making. They have done the hard work of connecting with residents, and holding education forums with independent experts to alleviate residents’ concerns. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, a Republican, has continued to champion green initiatives such as Solar Up Suffolk, as well as offshore wind—both as supervisor and county executive—despite the political headwinds.
New York State recently held a series of public hearings on a draft energy plan put forward by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, which creates a path forward for an all-of-the-above energy strategy that combats climate change and creates good union jobs. Not to mention, Long Islanders had ample opportunity to weigh in on the energy planning process, a clear understanding that local control is sacred to us on Long Island. Republican representatives Andrew Garbarino and Nick Lalota have remained steadfast in their support for offshore wind at a time when it could have been politically convenient to abandon ship. Their advocacy undoubtedly protected projects that have created millions of work hours with good union wages, for Long Islanders across the region.
Therefore, we must not let bad faith actors reframe the energy discussion as a zero-sum game. We have clear evidence of a bipartisan understanding that Long Island’s energy system must withstand extreme weather, rising seas and arguably the most dangerous threat of our time, political chaos.
The Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project fits squarely within that vision. It is a practical bridge that ensures our communities have reliable, lower-carbon energy while offshore wind, community solar and utility scale battery energy storage scale up. Natural gas delivered through modern infrastructure significantly reduces carbon emissions when compared with heating oil and coal, which still power too many older buildings and backup generators across Long Island and New York City.
Concurrently, NESE will create good-paying, union construction jobs with healthcare, apprenticeship training and the economic stability that lifts whole communities. These types of investments sustain local economies, support small businesses and allow workers to raise families. They also protect existing union jobs in industries that depend on safe, reliable energy delivery; from the proud members of IBEW Local 1049 who maintain the grid, to manufacturing and food-service employees who rely on stable heating and power to support their industries. Every step toward modernizing our energy network is a step toward securing those livelihoods and a cleaner future.
Critics sometimes suggest that supporting a project like NESE contradicts New York’s climate leadership. That is simply not true. We cannot power hospitals, schools and subways by limiting our generation options. The bridge to a clean-energy future must be built, literally, by working people. On Long Island, that means a need for massive infrastructure investment in transmission lines, offshore wind, utility scale battery energy storage, and yes, modern gas infrastructure that keeps homes warm and lights on while we lean in on proven utility scale renewable energy technologies.
Long Island’s labor movement is ready to lead. Our true north star must be the economic security of working families. Without them, there is no just transition and no sustainable future. We can confront climate change, strengthen our economy, and put people to work, all at once. The Northeast Supply Enhancement Project is not the end of our journey toward a cleaner world; it’s one necessary step on the way.
John Durso is the president of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, the fourth-largest central labor council in the United States, located in Hauppauge.