Mass. Gov Healey asks feds to expedite review of proposed gas pipeline expansion in Mass.

By Miriam Wasser
October 01, 2026

Amid ongoing public outcry over sky high energy bills, Gov. Maura Healey has asked the Trump administration to expedite its review of a natural gas pipeline expansion project in New England.

In a letter sent Thursday to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Healey urged federal regulators to move as quickly as possible in their assessment of the Reliable Affordable Resilient Enhancement proposal — known as Project RARE.

The project, which was proposed by the energy company Enbridge, involves installing wider pipes along sections of the Algonquin natural gas pipeline. This pipeline brings gas from New Jersey through southern New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and into Massachusetts.

"This project will lower costs for 600,000 customers," Healey said in a statement. "Massachusetts is moving forward with its review, and I’m asking the federal government to do the same — move quickly and keep this project on track so customers can see the savings."

Healey also noted that "moving quickly does not mean cutting corners" on any environmental review or community engagement efforts.

"Thorough and timely review are not competing goals," she wrote.

New England has some of the most expensive energy prices in the country, in large part because the region is highly dependent on natural gas and faces a limited supply of the fossil fuel. On cold winter days, pipeline constraints mean that many natural gas power plants turn to burning oil, which is more expensive and polluting. And gas utilities have to buy higher-priced liquified natural gas to meet home heating demands.

"Expanding natural gas capacity is a critical step in ensuring Massachusetts can meet demand, particularly during peak periods and extreme weather," wrote Max Bergeron, a spokesperson for Enbridge, in an email. "We appreciate the Governor’s focus on solutions that deliver reliable, affordable energy for the Northeast."

If Project RARE is approved by federal regulators, Enbridge would replace about eight miles of existing pipelines with larger diameter pipes in parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and run a secondary pipeline along a segment in Rhode Island. The company would also upgrade a compressor station in Cromwell, Connecticut.

The 1,100-mile Algonquin pipeline is one of three large interstate pipelines that bring gas into Massachusetts, moving more than 3 billion cubic feet of gas per day, according to Enbridge. The expansion would increase that by about 75 million cubic feet per day, potentially bringing a substantial amount of natural gas into a part of Massachusetts where supply is especially tight.

Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved a plan from the utility Eversource to purchase gas from the Project RARE expansion for 10 years. This deal, the state said, would reduce the utility's use of liquified natural gas in the winter, saving customers about $40 million annually.

In a statement, Eversource spokesperson William Hinkle said the company appreciates "the Governor’s focus on an 'all-of-the-above' approach to energy supply" — referring to her support for developing a range of power sources including wind, solar, natural gas, hydroelectric and nuclear.

"This additional gas capacity is critical to meeting winter demand from our natural gas customers in southeastern Massachusetts in the coming years and, importantly, will reduce our reliance on higher-cost, foreign liquified natural gas," Hinkle said.

But, he added, the deal isn't a cure-all.

"By no means will it solve our region’s energy affordability challenge alone," he said.

Healey's letter to the federal government lands at a tricky political moment in the state. Massachusetts has legally binding requirements to slash planet-warming emissions — targets that require reducing use of natural gas. At the same time, high energy prices are a big concern for residents, and the state's efforts to build more clean energy have been hobbled by the federal government.

The governor is also running for reelection in a race where energy affordability and cost of living are key campaign issues.

Larry Chretien, executive director of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance, said the situation requires "a delicate dance."

On the one hand, he understands that Project RARE could reduce utilities' reliance on liquified natural gas, which should save ratepayers money and reduce emissions. Pipeline gas has a lower carbon footprint than liquified natural gas.

But on the other hand, "we don't want to see increased gas usage in Massachusetts," he said. "And we don't want this pipeline to be held up a reason why we should continue to allow gas consumption to rise.".................................

Continue reading at https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/10/01/governor-healey-project-rare-n...

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