(The Center Square) — New York business groups are urging state utility regulators to approve a previously rejected plan to extend a regional natural gas pipeline championed by President Donald Trump as part of broader efforts to expand domestic production of the fossil fuel. 

The Northeast Supply Enhancement project calls for extending a pipeline that runs from Pennsylvania to New Jersey into New York City and Long Island to help provide more energy for the region, which backers say has long been constrained by a lack of capacity. National Grid, a regional utility behind the project, and developer Williams, say the $1 billion expansion of the Transco pipeline will provide enough gas to power more than 2.3 million homes.