Over the past couple weeks, more than a dozen business interests have joined National Grid in backing the Northeast Supply Enhancement project, or NESE, a controversial pipeline championed by President Donald Trump that would carry gas underwater from New Jersey into New York City and Long Island. The groups, mostly based on Long Island, have submitted letters to the state utility regulator with similar — and sometimes identical — language in support of the pipeline.

The letters were filed in a case before the Public Service Commission, or PSC, which is reviewing National Grid’s long-term plan to supply gas to the downstate area. The case began more than a year ago, when the pipeline was off the table after state regulators had repeatedly rejected it.

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