Leslie Velasquez of El Puente: “Being communities of color, we will be hit first and worst by climate change. We’re already feeling the effects so we are extremely alarmed by this and we’re not going anywhere... We’re in it for the long haul.”

Kevin LaCherra, whose family has been in Greenpoint for 120 years: “A pipeline that will carry plenty of profit for National Grid but that will leave this community where we’ve found ourselves time and time again. In danger.” 

Sarah Lilley, community leader in Greenpoint: "I challenge National Grid to stop lying to our community about this pipeline and its true purpose: to fleece New Yorkers through rate hikes, while establishing deeper infrastructure that clings to dead-end fossil fuels."

Alvin Peña, Community Liaison for Senator Julia Salazar: "National Grid's argument that we can build more fossil fuel infrastructure and still have time to act on climate change at an unspecified future date is reckless and irresponsible."

Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol (D-North Brooklyn): “I join the residents of North Brooklyn in opposing any initiative that would increase capacity or incur rate hikes.”

Tamara Gayer, Brooklyn Arbor P3 Association Co-President: “Emissions from these types of fuels are particularly toxic for young children… running this pipeline in proximity to so many schools should automatically disallow this plan.”

Kim Fraczek, Bushwick resident and director of Sane Energy Project: “I live two blocks from where National Grid is ripping up our streets to install this pipeline… we absolutely reject our bills going up to pay for a dirty fracked gas pipeline that will harm our safety, health and climate and put tens of thousands of people in the evacuation zone.”  

Comptroller Scott Stringer: “Projects like the North Brooklyn pipeline are entirely incompatible with a sustainable future for our city. It should not be built and I stand with residents across Brooklyn who reject building out a massive fracked gas pipeline running beneath their feet."

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams: “I am calling on Governor Cuomo and the PSC to say “no” to National Grid’s rate hike… to not reward last years egregious behavior with a prize when, like a school yard bully, the corporation held customers hostage by denying them services because they were not getting what they wanted.”

Emily Gallagher a CB-1 member and candidate for State Assembly: “It is hypocritical for the state to continue with the status quo after passing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. This is absolutely not climate leadership and it is not in the community's best interest.” 

Wes Higgins of the NYC- Democratic Socialist of America: “We are more than just consumers with pocketbooks for National Grid to plunder. We are neighbors and they will dig up our streets. We are families and they will poison the air for our children, elderly and sick.”

Video of North Brooklyn community rally by Owen Crowley

Photojournalist Erik McGregor: http://erikmcgregor.com/2020/02/15/no-nbk-pipeline-4/

Photojournalist Ken Schles: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9MMgNUHMv1/