18 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 17, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
National Grid vows to end natural gas moratorium
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
National Grid will lift its moratorium
and begin connecting more than 1,100
customers in Queens and Brooklyn to
natural gas service aft er Gov. Andrew
Cuomo ordered the utility to comply or
face millions of dollars in fi nes.
Th e company had denied service to
new and returning customers since May
in response to continued opposition to
the $1 billion Williams pipeline project,
which was denied a permit by the
state’s Department of Environmental
Prevention over concerns it would contaminate
New York Harbor.
Cuomo announced on Friday the
Department of Public Service would
expand its investigations into National
Grid’s conduct and whether it had prepared
properly for meeting the needs
of its customers given that the utility
faces supply constraints this winter.
If the Williams pipeline were permitted
to be constructed under New York
Harbor to bring fracked natural gas from
Pennsylvania to a terminus three miles
off the coast of Rockaway Beach, it would
not be in service until December 2020 at
the earliest.
Th ere are alternative forms of gas delivery
beyond pipelines; their failure to adequately
National Grid will end its moratorium on gas service to customers over New York’s opposition to the
Williams pipeline project.
anticipate this issue and provide
for it will be under review.
“It is the fundamental responsibility of
our utilities to provide reliable service,”
Cuomo said. “National Grid has acted in
bad faith throughout this process — fi rst
by denying over 1,100 eligible customers
with service and now by failing to fulfi
ll its core responsibility. Today, National
Grid is being ordered to immediately
connect those 1,100 customers, and I
have directed DPS to expand their ongoing
Courtesy of Stop the Williams Pipeline
investigation to include potential negligence
in not preparing for the month
ahead. Make no mistake: New York will
hold National Grid responsible.”
Aft er the preliminary conclusion of
the Service Commission’s investigation.
PSC Chairman John Rhodes issued an
order to show cause directing National
Grid to immediately connect 1,157 residential
and small commercial customers,
and to implement an alternative supply
and demand reduction plan to ensure
the safety and reliability of the gas system.
Th e order also commences a penalty proceeding
against the utility for alleged violations
of the Public Service Law.
“With the winter heating season beginning,
the Department of Public Service
has determined that immediate action is
warranted to address the customer hardships
created by National Grid’s unwarranted
denial of service for 1,157 of its
customers in New York City and Long
Island,” Rhodes said. “Th e law requires
utilities to provide gas service without
unreasonable qualifi cations or lengthy
delay when suffi cient gas supply exists,
which the order alleges is the case for
these previously existing customers on
National Grid who found themselves
suddenly cut off from gas without adequate
warning and preparation.”
Just hours aft er Cuomo laid down the
law, National Grid reversed course and
vowed it would lift the moratorium.
“We are obviously disappointed in the
NY PSC’s Order issued today,” A National
Grid spokeswoman said. “We stand by
our analysis and there are very real gas
supply constraints in the northeast. In
the meantime, we have been working to
identify unprecedented temporary solutions
to help mitigate this situation and
will immediately begin connecting the
more than 1,100 applicants who have
been identifi ed in the order.”
Southeast Queens mother-son duo lead community parade
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
A mother-son duo is continuing a
southeast Queens tradition that encourages
community engagement among families
and neighbors.
Th e fourth annual “We Can Because
We Know We Can Community Parade,”
known to strengthen the community’s
patronage, participation and engagement,
will be held at the Campus Magnet
Educational Complex’s (formerly Andrew
Jackson High School) Homecoming at
207-01 116th Ave. in Cambria Heights
on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to
noon.
Th e highly anticipated event is expected
to attract more than 1,000 attendees and
aims to showcase and raise awareness of
the local businesses, youth organizations,
and District 29 locals schools to increase
enrollment within the southeast Queens
community.
Th e parade was introduced to Andrew
Jackson High School in the early ‘80s by
the late Assemblywoman Barbara Clark
when her children attended the school.
It was then recreated in 2007 when Joann
Linning decided to continue Clark’s legacy.
Linning’s son, James Johnson — a
Campus Magnet Alumni and community
organizer — returned in 2016 to support
his mother and the community to
keep the tradition alive aft er receiving his
bachelor’s degree.
Th e grand marshals of the parade
are Shiggy, an entertainer and Campus
Magnet alumni of humanities and arts;
Debra Hammond, the owner of In Th e
Chair Salon and Barbershop; and Th omas
Butch Clark, a retired New York City
Transit employee, former football player
and marching band member of Andrew
Jackson.
Th e community parade will be a collective
partnership among political fi gures,
Andrew Jackson and Campus Magnet
alumni, local businesses and schools in
southeast Queens.
“It’s always important that we continue
to show our youth and community
how and why we can come together,”
Hammond said. “It’s a celebration when
one voice can be heard and that voice is
for growth and change. I believe this is
what the parade is all about and why I
support it.”
“Th e Andrew Jackson High School
parade brought my mother great joy and
pride,” Clark said. “It has been a building
block of this community and it’s great to
see it hasn’t died.”
Th e supporters and sponsors for the
parade are Nu Omicron Chapter of
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., James
Johnson, Joann Linning, Agape Bethel
Community Development Corporation
and Resorts World Casino.
Th e parade will start at 10:30 in front of
the school and the route will take marchers
down 116th Avenue to 226th Street. It
will then proceed down Linden Boulevard
across Francis Lewis to 205th Street to
116th Avenue.
Following the parade, the attendees
will continue the celebration by supporting
the Campus Magnet Bulldogs Varsity
Football team’s homecoming game.
For more information on the parade,
contact James Johnson via email at James.
Johnson1991@gmail.com.
Photo courtesy of James Johnson
Mother-son duo, Joann Linning and James Johnson, who continue to keep alive the southeast Queens
“We Can Because We Know We can Community Parade” that will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19.
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