The Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment dismissed TransGas’ proposals to build a power plant in Greenpoint
Albany – State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Brooklyn) today announced that the Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) determined the requirements to issue a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need of TransGas Energy Systems LLC (TransGas) to construct energy generation facilities have not been met.
“This is a real victory for the residents of Greenpoint. This community has such a heavy environmental burden already, that I am really pleased to be able to announce that TransGas will not be allowed to build a power plant on the Greenpoint waterfront.
“TransGas made numerous attempts to construct a power facility – none of which addressed the concerns of the community they would be directly impacting. With these actions by the Siting Board, the collective voices of the residents of Greenpoint have been heard loud and clear,” Senator Dilan said.
In total, TransGas made three separate proposals to construct a new power plant. The Siting Board dismissed their second and third proposals and the company had abandoned its original proposal. The reason for the second proposal’s dismissal was because TransGas had not obtained the right to use New York City property that would be necessary for the plant and the third proposal was denied because the facility was:
Ø Incompatible with public health and safety because a back-up oil storage tank is needed;
Ø Inconsistent with New York City’s land use regulations because of two-million gallons of oil storage capacity;
Ø Inconsistent with the State’s interest in recreational resources, in light of New York City’s plan to construct a 28 acre park around Bushwick Inlet;
Ø Unable to minimize adverse environmental impacts considering the interest of the state with respect to aesthetics;
Ø Not in compliance with the applicable local coastal zone management policy
Ø Not in the public interest because the benefits to the electric system of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., the customers of the system and the general public do not outweigh the adverse environmental impacts that would result from the construction of the facility.
“Clearly TransGas never made a good-faith effort to do the right thing by this community and the Siting Board recognized that. I applaud the Siting Board’s thorough and fair review of the proposals put forth by TransGas and their appropriate conclusions,” senator Dilan concluded.
A copy of the decision in Case 01-F-1276, when issued, will be available on the New York State Public Service Commission’s Website at www.dps.state.ny.us [2] and selecting the Commission’s File Room section.
