7 On Your Side: Calls for investigation into why people are being denied gas

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There are new calls for the New York State Public Service Commission and the Attorney General to investigate why people are being denied gas service.

The controversy over National Grid's Northeast Supplied Enhancement (NESE) proposed pipeline is heating up.

"We tried to get gas, we were told we could not get our hook up because of NESE, I didn't even know what it was," Julie Levin said.

Levin is a mother of three from Park Slope who says her family can't get gas to their newly renovated townhome, which means they can't move in.

She is one of thousands who feel caught between National Grid's proposed gas pipeline and opponents of the fracked gas it will carry over 24 miles from Pennsylvania through New Jersey to the Rockaways.

"National Grid is refusing to give gas...and this must be fully investigated," said NY State Assemblyman William Colton.

In a press conference Friday, he said his constituents are being held hostage by National Grid.

National Grid released the following statement:

"We're equally as frustrated that we can't serve requests for new or expanded gas service safely and reliably for our customers and communities without the necessary approvals for the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE). The infrastructure serving the region with gas supply has reached full capacity and is unable to meet growing demand. To add additional service without NESE would pose a risk to the operational integrity of our system and jeopardize reliability of service for the existing 1.8 million customers."

Brooklyn Councilman Mark Treyger said the gas company's actions refusing to provide service is criminal.

He says hundreds of units of affordable housing under construction along Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island won't be able to come online and provide critically needed gas because of the moratorium.

National Grid pushed out a radio campaign stating it will review resubmitted applications that were previously denied.

For now, more than 2,600 businesses and residents who have applied remain without gas, which means no gas and no hot water as the summer ends and colder weather approaches.

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