Lamont, Dunn Discuss Gas Expansion, Electric Alternatives

0:00It's April 22nd. This is Hartford News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey, with the story. Governor Ned Lamont sat down with Brookfield's first-selectman, Steve Dunne, on Monday, to hash out a hot-button natural gas expansion. The plan adds two gas-fire compressors to an existing station, pushing an extra 125 million cubic feet of gas daily through the Iroquois pipeline. Town leaders like Dunne are fighting a hard-over-fears of dirty air emissions in an area already scraping by on federal standards. Deepy, the state's energy and environmental agency, has draft approvals from last July, but delayed the final call past April 13th to sift through. Public pushback. Dunne pitched electric compressors as a cleaner swab during the capital chat, and both sides walked away noting some common ground. Dunne felt a beat, saying Lamont promised help with our firm commitments. The governor called the electric idea constructive, and hopes DEEEE, ways it, but he's staying

1:00hands-off to avoid meddling. Iroquois stayed mom on the meet-up, but boxed at electric tech, claiming it jacks cost by $45 to $50 million on the $200, 72 million project. Locals crack the pipeline, mostly feeds New York utilities, with little upside for Connecticut, though owners insist it bolsters state supply. Reliability amid winter shortages. Lamont's long back more gas infrastructure for New England, even chatting it up with feds last year, while activists got arrested protesting at his, office back in November. This back and forth keeps the pressure on as deep moles is next move. Could tip toward greener tweaks or full steam ahead on gas power?