Time line of New York Regional Interconnect power line developments.
2003: NYRI project is conceptualized and takes form as the Pegasus project.
2005: August 8 – The 2005 federal Energy Policy Act is passed, giving the federal government the power to create National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC); opening the door for private power line projects like that of New York Regional Interconnect Inc., a subsidiary of Canadian energy developers.
2006:
• March 6 – NYRI requests from the U.S. DOE that their project area be given status as an NIETC.
• March 30 – NYRI publicly announces project plans to erect a roughly 200-mile-long, 400,000 volt transmission line through eight upstate counties, including 44 miles of Chenango.
• April 4 – NYRI’s plans, consisting of two possible routes that end downstate in Orange County, are first reported by most local media agencies.
• May 6 – NYRI holds first public meeting in New Windsor. Police were called after the crowd expressed anger regarding the meeting’s “divide and conquer” format and a lack of information.
• May 11 – Hundreds of concerned citizens are turned away from a NYRI-run public information meeting at the Norwich High School. Over 1,000 people showed up, and many left saying NYRI officials avoided answering their questions.
• May 31 – NYRI submits an Article VII power line application with the New York state Public Service Commission, the state’s power line review authority.
• June 1 – State and county politicians gathered at the Chenango County Office Building to pledge support for a regional opposition group, which would later become Communities Against Regional Interconnect.
• June 6 – The citizen’s group STOP NYRI holds one of its first public meeting at the Sherburne Village Library to gather local support. Several other similar groups form up and down the route.
• June 16 – NYRI is questioned in the Norwich High School gymnasium by the state’s Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee. NYRI Attorney Leonard Singer admitted he did not know if the project was for private or public good.
• June 23 – A bill introduced by Senator John Bonacic that blocks NYRI’s use of state eminent domain law to acquire private property passes the Senate and Assembly.
• July 17 – A second Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee hearing with NYRI is held at New Hartford High School.
• July 26 – The PSC rules that NYRI’s Article VII application is “deficient” in over 10 areas, including proof that the power line will increase electricity reliability. The application will not be reviewed until it is completed.
August 8 – The U.S. Department of releases an electricity congestion study that highlights southeastern New York state as part of a “critical congestion area.”
• October 3 – Then Governor George Pataki signs eminent domain bill sponsored by Senator John Bonacic (co-sponsored by senators Jim Seward and Tom Libous).
• November 1 – Then Attorney General Eliot Spitzer proclaims the NYRI project is “dead.”
• November 13 – NYRI ordered to submit further information, including the possibilities of using alternative routes along the NYS Thruway or the existing Marcy South power line.
2007:
• February 5 – U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-Hurley), Michael Arcuri (D-Utica) introduce a few pieces of federal legislation that would block NYRI’s ability to use federal eminent domain and partially repeal the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
• March 27 – An ammendement introduced by Congressman Arcuri that would require the federal government to investigate the safety of power lines near railroad tracks passes in the House.
What’s coming up:
• NYRI is expected to re-file its Article VII in June.
• The DOE has not said if it will or won’t create NIETCs. That announcement was said to be coming “soon,” DOE officials said.