Massachusetts told Eversource to justify Springfield gas line 3 years ago, and it still hasn't

In 2023, Massachusetts Energy Secretary Rebecca L. Tepper asked Eversource to explain why another gas pipeline is needed in the Springfield area. 

Years later, the energy company still has not justified the project and remains stalled in the approval process.

Here's what to know

The state's environmental review became a major obstacle for the project in 2023, when Tepper concluded that Eversource's draft filing did not comply with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), according to MassLive. 

The filing concerns the utility's long-running effort to win approval for a 5.3-mile gas line from Longmeadow into Springfield.

In her 2023 ruling, Tepper said Eversource had not shown that the outage risk at this location was severe enough to justify adding the pipeline, as reported by MassLive. She also instructed the company to hold at least one well-publicized, in-person public meeting in Springfield, giving residents another chance to weigh in before the project moves ahead.

Tepper directed the company to submit a supplemental report explaining why the pipeline is needed, but Eversource still has not filed it because no deadline was set.

In 2025, Eversource said it expected to submit the report by the end of the year; it now says that timeline has moved to the end of 2026, as reported by MassLive.

In response to questions about the delay, Eversource spokesperson Olessa Stepanova said: "Eversource is developing the SDEIR (supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report) consistent with the comprehensive scope issued by the Secretary's Certificate. We will submit the SDEIR when the ongoing analyses are completed."

The proposal also needs approval from the Energy Facilities Siting Board, but that process has not advanced while the MEPA review remains unfinished. MassLive also reported that the state website showed no hearing officer had yet been assigned to the open case.

Where can I learn more?

For more on gas infrastructure spending, pipeline fights, and the health toll of oil and gas pollution, start with these articles.

• Across Massachusetts, utilities poured $100M into gas lines after 10 communities went fossil fuel free.

• In North Carolina, state records described environmental and public health danger from pipeline expansion.

• Researchers linked oil and gas pollution to premature deaths and asthma in communities nationwide.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.