October 3, 2007

DOE Designation: Not A Green Light for NYRI Project

On October 2, 2007, the Department Of Energy (DOE) designated both the Southwest and the Mid-Atlantic Area's as official National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. These designations would remain in place for 12 years.

Citizen groups from along New York Regional Interconnects (NYRI) proposed 200-mile power line project are united in their opposition to the federal Department of Energy's NIETC designations. Opposing NYRI and the creation of NIET Corridors are the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition, SayNo2NYRI, Inc., the Upstate New York Citizens Alliance and STOP NYRI, Inc. The corridor includes 47 of New York 's 62 counties or a total of 76% of the property in New York State ,

By creating NIET Corridors the federal government will be able to:

• Usurp states' rights to regulate what goes on within their boundaries;

• Take your property by Eminent Domain;

• Undermine economic development efforts in Upstate New York;

• Destroy recreational, cultural and historic sites throughout the State of New York ;

• Subvert New York State 's progressive energy policies that include conservation, demand side management and the location of generation facilities in areas of growing demand.

States within the corridors, including NY, PA & VA, are fighting the designations because the DOE defines congestion much differently than most State run energy regulators do. Recently, the New York Independent Systems Operator's biannual system reliability report was released declaring that new transmission projects such as NYRI were not needed in New York State for the next 10 years. This is a direct contradiction to the NIETC designations.

Together with other members of the CARI coalition, our citizen groups will bring legal action to challenge the designations and protect our homes and businesses from the use of federal eminent domain by private for profit companies like NYRI. We call upon Governor Spitzer and Attorney General Cuomo to join with us in these legal battles to protect the rights of New Yorkers against the incursion of federally imposed projects and to protect the right of the State to determine its own energy policy.

Contact: Chris Rossi
Co-chair STOP NYRI
Hubbardsville , NY 13355
315-691-5353

For more information visit www.stopnyri.info