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span style=3D"font-size:16.0pt">Statement from Councilmember Chaim Deutsch =
regarding the ongoing gas service moratorium impacting New Yorkers and resi=
dents of Long Island:

n style=3D"font-size:10.0pt">Background: In May of 2019, National Grid inst=
ituted a moratorium on new gas connections. According to the company, they =
are facing a gas shortage that will impact
their ability to provide gas to new customers, whilst maintaining the gas =
flow for current customers. The stated reason for this shortage is the rece=
nt denial from the Department of Environmental Conservation to an applicati=
on for a new gas pipeline (known
as the Northeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline) that would stretch across Pe=
nnsylvania, New Jersey and New York. The pipeline was seen as controversial=
to environmentalists, who believe that the pipeline could have a detriment=
al impact on marine life and exacerbate
climate change.

n style=3D"font-size:10.0pt"> 

Councilman Chaim Deutsch said, “The ong=
oing moratorium imposed on new gas customers is having a huge impact on New=
York City residents. Nearly 3,000 customers are waiting for gas connection=
s – these are private homeowners, renters,
building developers, and even owners of affordable housing. The repercussi=
ons of this are far reaching, and over time, could have a long-lasting effe=
ct on New York City’s economic stability.

I urge Governor Cuomo to sit down with National Grid=
and his Department of Environmental Conservation and work together to deve=
lop a solution that ensures that New Yorkers do not continue to fall victim=
to this moratorium. State legislators
must make this a priority, before this crisis becomes even more widespread=
.”

Noelle Picone, Surfrider Foundation said, =
220;There is no gas crisis. National Grid is playing politics and everyday =
citizens are paying the price. We support a full investigation into Nationa=
l Grid's phony moratorium.”

Issac Lati, a Sheepshead Bay resident said, &=
#8220;I’m at the end of the three-year process of renovating my prope=
rty and it’s affecting me because we need to have gas and the whole h=
ouse has no gas. We’re really screwed over here. I don’t
know what to do- it’s affecting me in every way. I’ve been a N=
ational Grid customer all my life and we never knew anything about this dea=
dline. What am I supposed to do with the house now? Everything will crack o=
ver the winter without heat and the money I’ve
spent will be wasted.”

R.K. of North Brooklyn said, “After a l=
engthy negotiation process to sell a property to a new business coming into=
the North Brooklyn, we were unable to proceed with the deal because of thi=
s National Grid moratorium. The existing
gas line in the facility is 3”, but the new business would require o=
n that was closer to 5”. It’s inconceivable that such a small i=
ssue could result in the loss of thousands of dollars for multiple parties,=
all due to this arbitrary moratorium. There is no
way to replace the lost time and money, and I’m confident that there=
are multiple property owners facing this challenge. Without a resolution t=
o this gas service issue, storefronts will remain empty and the New York Ci=
ty economy will suffer.”

Sruli Eidelman, operator of “Izzy’s B=
BQ” in Crown Heights said, “There is no excuse, in the larg=
est and wealthiest city in the world, for a family business to be destroyed=
by the state’s poor handling of its gas lines. I have helped
the New York City economy by hiring people and providing a space for touri=
sts and New Yorkers alike to experience this piece of American culture. Sev=
eral of my family members and friends have invested their life savings into=
this business, and now, just as
we were about to overcome all the previous hurdles, we were told that our =
gas would not be hooked up due to a poorly managed system. National Grid ha=
s been given the power to hold my business hostage until the state gives th=
em what they want. As far as we
are concerned, this mess was built by the state’s mismanagement and =
the amount of power it has given National Grid.”

####=

> 

Coun=
cilman Chaim Deutsch serves as Chair of the Veterans Committee and the NYC =
Council Jewish Caucus. He represents the 48th Council District in Southern =
Brooklyn, including the neighborhoods
of Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, and parts of =
Coney Island.