Here & There 2-20-07

HERE & THERE COLUMN 2-20-07

Watch Out For New York Regional Interconnect

State laws have been passed and former Governor George Pataki signed legislation that was designed to be a major obstacle to a huge power transmission line that would run from central New York through Sullivan County to Orange County, but, New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) will fight this law on grounds that it is unconstitutional.......and there are chances they could win this battle and the line would be built.
The law that was passed and signed into legislation blocks New York Regional Interconnect from using state laws to take land by eminent domain.
With this new state law in effect it then became known that NYRI could use federal law to take land by eminent domain and build the line.
Some have noted that the state law is too narrow to stand up to a court challenge.
Well folks.....here comes NYRI and with them comes a lawsuit in federal court charging that the law unfairly singles out its project and their attorney states it unconstitutional.
This truly indicates that NYRI does not intend to just go away with their proposal to build a 1,200 megawatt transmission line from near the city of Utica to New Windsor in Orange County.
It shows that NYRI has no plans to step aside and bow to the widespread opposition to this proposed power line project.
It has been said that the NYRI project is a billion-dollar job and that it was proposed not to meet the energy needs of upstate New York, but to serve only New York City.
Power line opponents have expressed fear that the state law would not hold up in court because it appears to specifically target NYRI and that the state law is possibly too narrow in its approach.
There is now a possibility that this power play may now switch to the United States Congress where legislation, if approved, could stop NYRI.
Democrat Congressman Maurice Hinchey and two other sponsors are cosponsoring one bill while two other bills are introduced by Hinchey.
Hinchey feels this is the best approach to stopping NYRI "because it specifically addresses provisions in that '05 energy bill which I believe are not inappropriate, but perhaps unconstitutional and clearly contrary to the interests of private individuals and communities as well as states."
We strongly support Congressman Hinchey in this federal legislative effort. All of us need protection from power line corridors and we applaud the congressman for his efforts and consideration in protecting communities from power line abuse.