Con Ed Natural Gas Moratorium for Westchester in Effect Today; State Offers New Clean Energy Plan

The moratorium on new gas connections for most of Westchester County went into effect today.

WHITE PLAINS—Within hours of Con Edison imposing a moratorium on new natural gas connections on most of Westchester County that has the potential of stalling billions of dollars in new development projects, the state offered funding for clean energy projects to soften the moratorium’s impact.

Con Edison’s new natural gas connection moratorium, which was announced on Jan. 18, went into effect today, impacting new development projects in the pipeline in cities such as Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and White Plains. A Con Edison spokesman said that since the utility notified the state Public Service Commission of its intent to impose the moratorium, Con Edison has received more than 1,300 applications from properties for natural gas. For those applicants that are granted natural gas connection permits, they have two years from that date to have their projects ready to accept natural gas. Many industry observers say that deadline is impossible for some projects still engaged in municipal approvals.