PSC Seeks Public Input on Upstate Power Transmission Facility
Posted by CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE at 2:23 PMALBANY, NY (11/03/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today announced four informational forums and four hearings seeking public comments concerning Upstate NY Power Corp.'s (Upstate Power) application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for a 50.6 mile 230 kV transmission facility from Galloo Island in the Town of Hounsfield, Jefferson County, through the Towns of Henderson, Ellisburg, Sandy Creek and Richland, and the Village of Pulaski to a proposed substation and interconnection to existing transmission lines in the Town of Mexico, Oswego County. The new facility would allow Upstate Power to interconnect generation from the proposed Hounsfield Wind Farm to the State's electric transmission system. The dates, locations and times for the informational forums and public statement hearings are as follows: Monday, November 16, 2009 Jefferson County Town of Henderson Informational Forum: 10:00 AM Public Statement Hearing: 11:00 AM Henderson Fire District Building's Community Hall 8939 NYS Route 178 Hamlet of Henderson, in Town of Henderson Monday, November 16, 2009 Belleville Informational Forum: 6:00 PM Public Statement Hearing: 7:00 PM Belleville Henderson Central School Auditorium 8372 County Route 75 Belleville, NY Tuesday, November 17, 2009 Oswego County Village of Pulaski Informational Forum: 10:00 AM Public Statement Hearing: 11:00 AM Barclay Court House Town of Richland Court Room, Second Floor 1 Jefferson Street Village of Pulaski, NY Tuesday, November 17, 2009 Town of Pulaski Informational Forum: 6:00 PM Public Statement Hearing: 7:00 PM Pulaski Junior-Senior High School 4624 Salina Street Town of Pulaski, NY Informational Forums and Public Statement Hearings The informational forums will be presented by the Staff of the Department of Public Service and will address the details of the administration of the proceeding under the Department's rules and modes of operation. A brief description of the project will also be provided by the applicant. Following the informational forums, the public will have an opportunity to present their comments at the hearing before the Administrative Law Judges assigned by the Commission to this proceeding. A verbatim transcript of the hearings will be made for inclusion in the record. It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or to present written material in order to speak at the public statement hearing. Speakers will be called after completing a card requesting time to speak. The hearing will remain open and will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements are made. Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the Department of Public Service's Human Resource Management Office at (518) 474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711 to reach the Department of Public Service's Human Resource Office at the previously mentioned telephone number. Other Ways to Comment In addition to the formal public statement hearing, comments may be mailed to Honorable Jaclyn A. Brilling, Secretary, NYS Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. Your comments should refer to "Case 09-T-0049 Upstate NY Power - Article VII." Toll-Free Opinion Line: You may call the Commission's Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This number is set up to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24 hours a day. Callers should select English or Spanish and press "1" to leave comments. Internet: Comments may also be made via the "PSC Comment Form," in the "Consumer Assistance" file accessed through the Commission's Web site at http://www.dps.state.ny.us or via the "Contact Us" link at http://www.AskPSC.com. Many libraries offer free Internet access. All statements and comments received by the Administrative Law Judges and the Commission will become part of the record and will be available for public inspection in the Commission's file room in its Albany offices, Central Files, 14th Floor, Three Empire State Plaza and also on the Commission's Web site at www.dps.state.ny.us by searching Case 09-T-0049. Review of the Proposal Upstate NY Power Corp.'s application for the proposed transmission facility can be viewed at the Commission's www.dps.state.ny.us Web site and at the following local libraries: Henderson Free Library 8939 State Route 178 Henderson, NY 13650 Pulaski Public Library 4917 North Jefferson Street Pulaski, NY 13142 Hay Memorial Library 105 South Broad Street Sackets Harbor, NY 13685 East Hounsfield Library 19438 State Route 3 Watertown, NY 13601 Ellisburg Free Library 12117 New York State Route 193 Ellisburg, NY 13636 Annie Porter Ainsworth Memorial Library 6064 South Main Street Sandy Creek, NY 13145-0069 Mexico Public Library 3269 Main Street Mexico, NY 13114