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Letter to Editors |
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Editor- At the Sunderland Select Board meeting on August 3, Thomas Macaulay of Vermont Energy Park Holdings (power plants) and Bruce Roloson of New York State Electric and Gas (pipeline) placed total responsibility for the lack of information about the natural gas project proposed for Southwestern Vermont on the State ofVermont Agencies and permitting processes. When questioned by a frustrated Selectboard member about the lack of a clear route through Sunderland, Roloson said that was up to the State Agencies. When asked "when will property owners know their land is affected?", Roloson indicated it could be 9 months to a year." So we're left hanging in limbo, not knowing, for a year?" a Selectboard member asked." Yes," said Roloson. " You mean you can file your permit application without having a specific route?" Roloson said, "yes, that's how your state does it. That's not how it's done in New York State, but in Vermont that's how it's done." Asked about tax revenues to Sunderland, Roloson was not able to be specific. He volunteered that an Environmental Impact Study would not accompany the filing. Thomas Macaulay was asked about the status of his Interconnect studies. He said he had not begun them yet. When asked about Robert Votaw's April 5 reference to the "fatal flaw" in the project because the Interconnect studies would take 15 months to complete and ruin the timetable, Macaulay indicated the State did not require the studies in order to file. Macaulay was asked about his meteorological studies. He said the State hasn't decided yet if they are necessary. He referred to a meeting held two weeks ago to discuss the State's air quality permitting process. He indicated that no decisions have been made. When questioned about emissions from the power plants, Macaulay indicated that if the NOx waiver was not granted, he would have to seek NOx offsets. Macaulay cannot tell us what the plants will look like because that is dependent on the financing. He cannot be specific about where the water will come from for the Rutland plants. He will not tell us anything about the money or investment behind this project. If I am understanding this correctly, the State of Vermont is encouraging the filing of the application for a billion dollar project that must be completed in less than 3 years in order to be financially viable. The filing will not contain a route for the pipeline. It will not contain an assessment of the environmental impact of the route. It will not contain any information about the ability to get the power to its intended destination outside of Vermont. It will not contain any information about the specific weather patterns in Rutland and Bennington. It will not contain any information about the power plants' ability to meet Vermont's strict air quality standards. What I am learning from State Agency documents that I am receiving under the Freedom of Information Act is that the State has agreed to expedite the permitting process. The State Agencies will be hiring biologists fresh out of school instead of experienced professionals to evaluate the impacts of the project. The pipeline company has asked the State to cut its budget for permitting the project on its timetable. Property owners along the route will not know for the better part of a year whether or not their land is affected. People who would breathe the air pollution from these power plants will not know what protections the State is going to offer them. There is no forum in which to consider the effects on the citizens of the region who are already being seriously impacted by this huge project. In order for the project to get a fair hearing before the Public Service Board, the citizens of the region will have to raise their own money, hire their own experts and lawyers, and compete with 3 multi-billion dollar entities who have already tied up all the top legal and lobbying firms in this small state. Roloson and Macaulay take no responsibility for anything. Therefore, it is clear that the State of Vermont should be prepared to take full responsibility for every aspect of this project. Sincerely, Annette Smith, Spokesperson |
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Copyright © 1999 Vermonters for a Clean Environment. |
Text of a letter to editors, August 4, 1999