news favorable to NYRI and transmission lines
mary
Times Herald-Record
October 03, 2007
In a huge blow to opponents of a massive power line that could slice
through our region, the federal government ruled yesterday that energy
projects in two national corridors could bypass state approval to get
built.
This means that if the proposed 10-story-tall power line - New York
Regional Interconnect - does not receive state approval within a year,
the Department of Energy could OK it because it would serve an area
that needs energy.
The feds yesterday designated two National Interest Electric
Transmission Corridors, one in the Southwest and the other in the Mid-
Atlantic region. The department said "significant" power transmission
problems exist in these areas.
The East Coast corridor includes most of New York state, including the
190-mile stretch from Utica to New Windsor where NYRI would rise. NYRI
wants to build power lines that would cut through farms and fields in
Orange and Sullivan counties, including hamlets along the Delaware
River corridor. Yesterday's ruling would allow the government to take
land by eminent domain once a power proposal is approved.
The ruling came despite months of protests that drew thousands to
quiet rural spots like the river hamlet of Callicoon in western
Sullivan and the mom-and-pop Main Street of Otisville in western
Orange. The creation of the energy corridors also flew in the face of
dozens of anti-NYRI comments from local, state and federal politicians
at a May 23 Department of Energy hearing in New York City, which drew
more than 100 protesters.
Still, those opponents said they expected the ruling - although
several couldn't hide their disappointment. They had been given a
glimmer of hope last week when the organization that oversees the
state's power grid - the New York Independent System Operator - said
the NYRI project wasn't necessary, at least until 2016.
"I feel like we're back to square one," said Elaine Allen of Campbell
Hall, who lives within feet of the proposed line.
"But we were kind of expecting it," said Troy Bystrom, director of the
power line task force for the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition.
"We just didn't see this administration or the Department of Energy
listening to what we had to say out here."
NYRI welcomed the creation of the national corridors, which would seem
to pave the way for projects like theirs on the power-hungry East and
West coasts.
"This is another good (example) that the DOE is helping all of us
focus on the pressing problem of transmission congestion," said NYRI
project manager Bill May. NYRI first filed its application in May
2006. It will file a supplement to its application within a few
months, he said.
While opponents of NYRI were figuring out exactly how to fight the
latest ruling, they hoped to attack it on several fronts, including
pushing for new laws and filing of lawsuits.
"If they think we're going away," said the Town of Wallkill's Nina
Guenste, a board member of sayNO2NYRI, "they're in for a rude
awakening."
Politicians weigh in
State and federal politicians overwhelmingly denounced yesterday's
Energy Department ruling to create National Interest Electric
Transmission Corridors.
"Congress needs to repeal the federal eminent domain law and gut
NYRI's ability to blight our land and raise our electric rates."
- State Sen. John Bonacic, R-C-Mount Hope.
"The fact that the Department of Energy refused to even slightly
modify its NIETC proposal for the Mid-Atlantic region after receiving
more than 2,000 public comments on the matter, the vast majority of
which surely opposed the plan, clearly indicates that the public
comment period was nothing more than a public relations stunt to give
the perception that the public was included in the agency's decision.
The reality is the only thing that matters to the DOE is how much more
of a profit it can create for the energy industry."
- Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley.
"DOE has made the wrong choice by shrugging aside the overwhelming
opposition to this corridor, and I am committed to working with my
colleagues to stop this plan dead in its tracks."
- Rep. John Hall, D-Dover Plains