Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-NY19) issued a statement strongly opposing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision announced today to move ahead with its proposed Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor in upstate New York that would clear the way for New York Regional Interconnection’s (NYRI) power line plan.

 

“DOE’s announcement to charge ahead with its Mid-Atlantic Corridor in the face of local opposition, state concerns, and a lack of demonstrated need flies in the face of common sense and is a huge mistake,” said Hall.  “I am shocked that the federal government would move forward with its plan to give eminent domain authority to private, for-profit companies without any acknowledgment of the serious objections from the communities that the New York Regional Interconnect would run through, the environmental impacts of the corridor, or the rights of local property owners.  DOE has made the wrong choice by shrugging aside the overwhelming opposition to this corridor, and I am committed to working with my colleagues to stop this plan dead in its tracks.”

The DOE announced today that it would make no boundary changes to its Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor proposal that was officially issued in May of this yea, which include Upstate New York, as well as significant portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio.  The Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor is one of two National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC) proposed by the DOE across the country.  Today the DOE declared that no changes would be made to any NIETC proposal save the removal of Clark County, Nevada from the Southwest Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor.

Hall has repeatedly expressed strong opposition to the DOE’s proposal to create a Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor in New York and other states throughout the Northeast that could allow New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) and other private companies to utilize federal eminent domain to acquire private property and circumvent state authority to force massive and unsightly power lines upon New York residents.  On July 2nd, Hall held a public forum in Otisville with residents of western Orange County who would be directly affected by NYRI should it be built, and pledged to support their efforts to stop the project.
 

A provision of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, passed by the Republican-led Congress, created new federal authority to site electric transmission lines throughout the country.  Under the Act, the Department of Energy may designate areas of the country as “National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors.”  Within these corridors, state authority over transmission lines may be preempted and new federal eminent domain authority could be used to obtain land for approved electric utility transmission projects such as the one proposed by NYRI.  Hall is a co-sponsor of three pieces of bipartisan legislation, two of which were introduced by Hinchey, that would repeal or amend this section to ensure that the federal government does not overrule local and state officials and force the NYRI project upon New York residents.

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