They call themselves the Brownsville Residents Green Committee. Activists in their twenties formed the group to stop the construction of a seven mile natural gas pipeline beneath several Brooklyn neighborhoods. 

“Living under that fear that one day it might just explode and take out the entire block,” Jessy Bitway explained.

What You Need To Know

  • Controversial natural gas pipeline going from Brownsville to Greenpoint

  • Mayor says he now opposes the pipeline because of environmental impacts

  • Young activist say the pipeline is environmental racism in Bk
  • National Grid vows pipeline is safe and needed

Activists have named it the North Brooklyn Pipeline. 

National Grid is building it from Brownsville to Greenpoint, part of its Metropolitan Reliability Project. The utility company says it's an effort to make sure there is enough natural gas to supply customers and that it is supplied safely.

The Brownsville Residents Green Committee say the project has ripped up streets and that the pipeline will lead to more fossil fuel use, causing climate change; high rates of asthma and other illnesses are a real problem in Brownsville.

“We have an air quality level that is considered dangerous to breathe. We have higher rates of cancer, chronic illnesses,” said Anna Tsomo.

Mayor de Blasio has now come out on the side of these young activists, saying he’s opposed to the project. He says he cannot justify the environmental impacts on the Black and Brown neighborhoods the pipeline passes under and that National Grid failed to demonstrate the pipeline is needed to keep New Yorkers warm and safe. He called on the utility to stop the project, but he did not announce any city action against it. 

That’s not enough for the Brownsville Residents Green Committee.

“We want to make sure that there’s action taken, it doesn’t just end with a statement," explained Tsomo. "What measures is our leadership going to take to make sure that the gas does not flow through our communities.”

The group says if the mayor is serious he would stop all current and future construction on the pipeline.

“He can pull the permit from this because this is a DOT issue and DOT is a city agency and not a state agency," said Gabriel Jamison. "That's what we want Mayor de Blasio to do.”

National Grid says it’s already agreed not to proceed to the next phase until the state’s comprehensive review of gas system planning is conducted and approved.

The activists in Brownsville say they are going to continue fighting to make sure elected officials protect their community against what they call environmental dangers.

The Brownsville Residents Green Committee wants more money and resources spent on clean energy alternatives like solar and wind to protect their community.