NORWICH – A spokesperson for New York Regional Interconnect, Inc. said the eminent domain bill that, after nearly two months, finally made its way a week ago from the state’s legislature to the governor’s desk, is based “on a very bad premise.”
The bill would prohibit privately-held power line companies from using eminent domain to take people’s property.
“We think the starting place that NYRI will not be a beneficial project is wrong. The framers of that legislation did not look at the benefits of this project to everybody in New York,” Jonathan M. Pierce said.
The subsidiary of Toronto-based Colmac Power has proposed erecting an 11-story high electrical power transmission line that would cut through 190 miles of the state from Utica to New Windsor, passing through 44 miles and six townships in Chenango County. It presented an application to the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) in June that was later rejected because of insufficient information. Since then, subsequent waiver requests from NYRI have also been denied. Its fate currently rests on the Governor’s desk and with the U.S. Department of Energy, which is considering designating southern New York state and New York City as a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor.
With the new power line, Pierce said upstate New York would benefit from having “a more reliable transmission network;” “significantly cleaner generation” of electricity; “thousands of dollars in taxes;” and “millions of dollars in benefits” to the communities where the line travels.
“Making the power market more robust and more diverse is good for all New Yorkers,” he said.
In past interviews with this paper, however, NYRI officials have admitted that their line would raise energy rates in upstate, perhaps by as much as $166 million annually. In addition, the PSC found insufficient evidence to back up the company’s claim that the power line would make the grid more reliable.
The eminent domain bill’s co-sponsor, state Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, said he is “adamantly opposed” to NYRI’s proposal and “will do everything I can to kill it.”
“It does nothing for upstate New York but create health and environmental hazards. It has been pretty clear to me that this is a group of greedy investors who are looking to make personal wealth,” he said.
The bill’s co-sponsor, state Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, and Libous reached out to the Governor on a handful of occasions prior to sending him the bill to answer questions and discuss any outstanding issues.
“It would have been irresponsible to send it right away,” Libous said. One of the Senators’ concerns was that New York City Mayor Bloomberg and other downstate proponents of the line had asked Pataki not to sign the bill.
“We talked about how NYRI’s transmission line stops way short of New York City, and won’t even bring more power there. And, before destroying our landscape, we asked him what other alternatives the Mayor or anybody else in New York City has come up with to solve their energy problem,” Libous said.
Pataki could make the bill law as early as next week. Libous said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the Governor would sign it. If he rejects the measure, it goes back to the state Legislature, which overwhelmingly passed it.
Chenango County Planning Director Donna A. Jones said if the Governor signs the bill it would be “a stinging blow to NYRI,” but she doesn’t know what kind of pressure he has from downstate politicians.
“We never wanted this to be an upstate versus downstate issue, but it has. I want to have faith that he will sign it. From what I’ve read it seems he’s researched and discussed it,” she said.
Village of Sherburne Mayor William Acee said anything that would help prevent NYRI from building the line would be helpful.
Both local representatives said NYRI opponents can’t forget the issue at the national level, which could supersede any state level eminent domain rulings.
“I think the states have to address at some point legally what the feds can come in and do. I hope the newly-elected attorney general faces that head on and protects New York state’s interests,” Acee said.