No New Energy Sources
Are Planned for City
Sarah Ryley
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
WILLIAMSBURG — Frustrated by the city’s failed effort to seize land on the Williamsburg waterfront for a park, because another company has proposed a power plant there, Assemblyman Joe Lentol introduced legislation Thursday that, if passed, would allow the state to take the land. He said a new source of electricity could be located outside the city.
Officials from the company proposing the natural gas and steam co-generation facility, TransGas Energy Systems, could not be reached in time for press. But in the past, Brooklyn site manager James Kellogg has told the Eagle that, besides the city desperately needing the energy, the TransGas proposal is the cleanest and most efficient option. “There are no negatives to the project whatsoever, except in the minds of some ignorant people,” he said.
The state Department of Public Service confirmed there are no other power plants planned that would provide the city, expected to grow by one million over the next two decades, with more energy. “On every block, there’s construction,” said an industry source who asked not to be named. “Who’s going to supply all these people with electricity?”
The TransGas proposal has languished in the now-disbanded state Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment since 2003, filings show. During that time, the city has attempted to seize the property to build the 28-acre Bushwick Inlet Park, which would be the crown jewel of a 2-mile esplanade waterfront developers are required to help build as a result of the area’s 2005 rezoning. But the courts deferred to the state board, which still has to make a decision on TransGas, its last remaining case.
Lentol said he’s tired of waiting. The park, a pet project of Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, may not have as much support in opposition to a power plant once Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves office.
His legislation would bypass the courts and state board, and if passed, seize the property, said Lentol. Given that the bill is state legislation, it would require the approval of legislators representing other districts that may be tapped to house new power plants for the city.
“The trend is to not site power boards in cities, and to try to do it another way,” said Lentol. “There are places that are willing to accept the siting of power plants because they would not interfere with the quality of life.”
Transmitting energy from outside the city may also require the use of eminent domain to build new power lines. Lentol said, “That’s certainly more of an appropriate use of eminent domain than [if it were used] to help out a developer, or for some economic purpose. This is for the common good, and it would put power plants where they would do the least harm.”
According to documents, TransGas claims the proposed facility could provide 10 percent of the city’s energy needs, and would displace older, more polluting facilities equivalent to taking 142,000 cars from the road.
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
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Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues.
So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net
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