BAINBRIDGE – The Bainbridge Town Hall was filled to capacity Tuesday night as residents gathered for a public hearing on whether the town should enter into discussions with Leatherstocking Natural Gas.
The limited liability company, a joint venture between Mirabito Holdings, Inc. and Corning Natural Gas, is seeking a franchise agreement with the Town of Bainbridge to use the public right-of-way along town, county and state roads for the purpose of installing a natural gas distribution pipeline.
Company officials say the gas transported by the pipeline would go to large industrial customers, like Amphenol and MeadWestvaco, and other businesses as well as schools, municipal buildings and some residential customers.
“Our focus is local gas for local people,” said Joe Mirabito, president of Mirabito Holdings, Inc.
He and his business associates see the economic viability of the project, and believe it will help preserve jobs. He stressed that Leatherstocking is not a producer, driller, interstate pipeline, gathering company, gas storage company nor a processor, but a transportation company.
“Right now, this is an opportunity for two local companies to come together to fill a local need for local people,” he said.
Corning Natural Gas President and CEO Mike German explained some of the more technical details of the project. According to German, the pipeline his company intends to install would carry natural gas at a pressure of no more than 124 psi, and would not require compression stations. The pipe itself would be 6 to 8” in diameter, medium to high density plastic pipe buried at an average depth of 30” below the surface.
“We will completely restore everything where we put in pipe,” he said.
German explained that natural gas was one of the cleanest burning fuels, and the source of 25 percent of the U.S.’s energy. He pointed to CNG’s 107-year history serving residential, commercial and industrial customers in the Corning area.
“We have plentiful low cost gas coming from local producers,” he said, explaining that the public utility already has franchise agreements in place with 15 municipalities.
“We want to be a partner in this town, not an adversary,” he said.
He also tried to dispel rumors which had circulated at a similar public hearing held in Coventry last week, which drew scores of anti-gas protesters from Coventry and neighboring townships.
German stressed that as a public utility, Leatherstocking would be highly regulated by the New York State Public Service Commission, and he denied the company had any intention of exercising the right of eminent domain to seize private land. In fact, he said that as an LLC, the company didn’t have that option.
“We have no eminent domain authority,” he reported.
The town’s attorney, David DeClue, stressed this legal point prior to the start of the public hearing. During the 15 minutes he held the floor, DeClue also clarified that the public right-of-way along the township’s roads was 25’ from the center line. He also said roads abandoned by the town over the years no longer had a public right-of-way. He referred residents to examine the town’s tax maps if they lived along county or state roads.
More than 30 area residents weighed in on the matter, once the public hearing was opened at 7:30 p.m. The first several speakers included representatives from Amphenol, the Village of Sidney and the Bainbridge Development Corporation, all of whom spoke in favor of the project.
BDC chairman Lew Whitney said the first thing businesses looking to relocate ask is whether or not natural gas is available. Having the low cost energy available, in combination with rail access and proximity to the interstate, would make it easier to attract businesses, he explained.
Joe Bianchi, Amphenol’s environmental health and safety manager, also spoke in support of the franchise.
“We are struggling on a daily basis for our existence,” he said, explaining that the energy cost savings from using natural gas equates to roughly 40 jobs. Using the cleaner fuel would also reduce carbon emissions and the particulate currently being released into the atmosphere.
“It goes well beyond cost,” he said.
A representative from the village of Sidney also spoke.
“We all have a lot at stake here,” he said, stressing that the project would help preserve jobs.
There were those who spoke in opposition, too, including Coventry resident Kim Michels. Michels questioned several of German’s claims about his dealings with the PSC and the company’s ability to use eminent domain.
A woman who billed herself as an “award-winning journalist” making a documentary about Bradford County, Pa., talked about the industry’s impact on the Pennsylvania community her sister calls home. She warned of the negative impact of natural gas development on the quality of life as well as the environment and the dangers of hydrofracking.
Bainbridge resident Fred Cannistra was one of the last to speak. He pointed out that many of those who spoke in opposition focused on the topic of hydrofracking.
“What is before us today is a pipeline. I honestly believe this will help this area,” he said. “I think this is our missing link.”
At the conclusion of the public hearing, Bainbridge Town Supervisor Dolores Nabinger thanked those in attendance for their input and their patience during the nearly three-hour long proceedings.
“I feel tonight you let us conduct a very orderly meeting,” she said.
The Bainbridge Town Board took no action on the matter following the public hearing and intends to discuss the topic further at its next board meeting.