A $500 million natural gas pipeline project through Western New York is on pause for now. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Incorporated were too early in filing for an extension for the Northern Access Project. 

What You Need To Know

  • National Fuel was recently denied an extension of its deadline to complete a new pipeline carrying natural gas from Pennsylvania to Canada through Western New York

  • Local environmental justice groups say it's a small victory five years in the making
  • Some homeowners remain in limbo

That means some homeowners remain in limbo. 

"There are land owners that have been held up for years under the eminent domain process to protect their land," said Sierra Club Niagara Group Chair Diana Strablow. 

Others like Strablow are worried about what the project could mean for the area's waterways. 

She's been fighting the project for nearly five years. 

"The DEC has hired attorneys to fight and protect their decision to protect our waterways and all of this is costing New York state just for the companies' profits and impact our climate in negative ways," adds Strablow. 

The DEC has not granted National Fuel's project a clean water certification. 

In 2019, New York passed the Climate leadership and community protection Act to steer communities away from the use of fossil fuels, especially gas. 

Victoria Ross has been a big supporter of the act. She's also is the Executive Director of the Western New York Peace Center. 

"The renewable energy is available, the technology is there. We need to have the political will to move ahead because the catastrophic wild fires, the extreme storms," Ross said.

But that's not stopping the project moving forward.

National Fuel Corporate Communications Representative Karen L. Merkel released the following statement to Spectrum News, in part:

"In January 2019, the Commission granted the Companies’ request for a three-year extension, until February 3, 2022. The project’s delay is due to litigation regarding the project’s Clean Water Act certification. Clean Water Act certification. The project remains fully subscribed and National Fuel remain committed to constructing and placing it into service. We do intend to file for an extension in the near future."