ANDREW CUOMO WANTS TO STEAL UPSTATE POWER, ENDANGER LOCALS
Posted by CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE at 3:44 AM"We need to do a better job of transmission. We need to get the power from upstate New York, from Western New York, low-cost power from Canada down to the metropolitan area of New York City. That's basically a challenge of transmission lines." - Andrew Cuomo, Hofstra/Newsday Gubernatorial Debate, October 18, 2010.
Andrew Cuomo is dead wrong on the issue of using upstate New York as a thoroughfare to transmit power to New York City. The residents of upstate recently fought and won a three year battle against New York Regional Interconnect's (NYRI) $2.1 billion plan to construct dangerous transmission lines that will destroy the environment, harm the local economy and potentially cause health and safety risks. (http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2009-04-06/6667/NYRI-pulls-the-plug-on-powerline-project/)
Andrew Cuomo wants to breathe life back into the dead NYRI proposal and will surely support other similar plans to mar the beautiful upstate scenery with massive transmission towers. He also made it clear last night that he'll likely support further theft of upstate power allotments just to feed the lights of Manhattan. Andrew Cuomo's comment proves that he has no knowledge or respect for the values of upstate New Yorkers and will cater to the special interest and New York City power base.
Andrew Cuomo didn't misspeak. Twice. This is why he won't come out of his hole to speak to the voters in an unfiltered, uncontrolled format - because he doesn't understand the issues and he makes serious mistakes.
The residents of upstate NY don't want the jobs that will be created from building an electric infrastructure highway? Are you really telling us that people who have been looking at more than 20 years of depression would thumb their noses at lease payments that can keep them in their homes as many farmers in the mid west have done for years? Are you so foolish to assume that all locals are against wind farms that can make them real ongoing revenue and produce an export economy of clean energy that would help reduce local taxes and subsidize our hometown l governments and education? A tariff is paid for the right to move energy along that new energy highway - that means more money to upstate regions. The areas these transmission lines would run over and under would earn real revenue and reap benefits. We cry that our economy is crumbled and in ruins, but you don't want to allow anything to come in that might improve the local condition so that people can actually live here and earn a respectable living too? Cuomo did not say anything about moving our cheap hydropower to NYC. Get it right or you cheat our neighbors out of a chance to regain some financial solvency. Upstate NY is rich in natural resources, but has little population to use all that the resources can produce - why are you suggesting depriving our own neighbors of a chance to have better lives?