NORWICH – Government leaders have received correspondence from promoters of New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) that tout the project's monetary incentives to municipalities.
Town of Norwich Supervisor David C. Law told members of the Chenango County Planning Board this week that he had received a letter touting a total of $37.2 million in annual tax payments to municipalities and school districts along the proposed power line’s 190-mile route from Oneida to Orange County. All 44 miles of Chenango County - from north to south - is being targeted for the $2 billion power line that is intended to relieve electrical grid congestion primarily downstate.
“They are really pushing what revenues are going to mean, trying to buy their way in. It hasn’t changed my mind,” Law said.
The supervisor is one of many in the county and throughout the state who, like citizen groups such as Stop NYRI and Communities Against Regional Interconnect, oppose the private company’s plans to build the line.
NYRI’s letter to Law stated the 400,000 volt power line would relieve wholesale electricity rates by 5.7 percent and save New Yorkers $684 million annually, he said. “Notice they didn’t specify what part of New York by being clever and saying, ‘New Yorkers.’ It (the line) won’t help upstate’s rates,” he said.
Planning Board member Perry Owen said he planned to attend a Public Service Commission public hearing for NYRI next month. He said he would bring medical and environmental experts to provide testimonials. He also planned to offer a list of Chenango County property owners who would be displaced through eminent domain.
In other planning board news, Law said he was in discussion with two potential business prospects for the Town of Norwich, one that would offer seven new jobs and another up to 25.
Commerce Chenango President Maureen Carpenter told the board that she, too, was in discussion with two different business prospects. Both would require rail service, however.
While officials at New York Susquehanna & Western Railroad say they are proceeding as planned to discontinue service, Carpenter said the Chamber is hoping to “block” it.
The board discussed whether municipal land use and site plans could be used to prohibit natural gas companies from conducting seismic testing along roadways and drilling.
“Wouldn’t drilling be classified as ‘a change of use’ in areas where there is a site plan,” asked Board member Joe Woerter of Greene.
Town of Columbus Supervisor George Coates, who was nominated to fill the board position left vacant by the late Kenneth Herman, said testing and drilling practices that are permitted by the Department of Environmental Conservation “supersede all local planning boards and site plan laws.”