State Siting Board Rules Against TransGas Power Plant Application

by Brooklyn Eagle (edit@brooklyneagle.net), published online 03-20-2008
 

Company Sought To Build Facility in Williamsburg

THREE STRIKES AND THEY'RE OUT?

ALBANY — The Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) Thursday determined that the statutory requirements for issuance of a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need to TransGas Energy Systems LLC (TransGas) for construction of generation facilities on the Williamsburg waterfront have not been met.

TransGas made its Original Proposal for an above-ground, 1,100-megawatt gas-fired cogeneration facility capable of exporting steam in Brooklyn in a filing on Dec. 24, 2002. The company filed its second proposal, the so-called "Underground Proposal," in an amendment to its application in November 2004.

Finally, TransGas made a third proposal, the so-called "Electric-Only Proposal," for an above-ground facility with an underground storage facility in a letter dated July 6, 2007 and in its August 24, 2007 supplemental filing.

The Siting Board Thursday dismissed TransGas' first and second proposals. The Original Proposal had been abandoned by the company, and the Underground Proposal is not viable since TransGas has not obtained the right to use New York City property necessary for the second proposal.

Also, the Siting Board denied the Electric-Only Proposal, or third proposal, concluding that the proposed facility is:

* Incompatible with public health and safety because the back-up oil storage tank is needed;
* Inconsistent with New York City's land use regulations because of 2 million gallons of oil storage capacity;
* Inconsistent with the State's interest in recreational resources, in light of New York City's plan to construct a 28-acre park surrounding Bushwick Inlet;
* Unable to minimize adverse environmental impacts considering the interest of the state with respect to aesthetics;
* Not in compliance with the applicable local coastal zone management policy; and The benefits to the electric system of Con Ed, its customers and the general public do not outweigh the adverse environmental impacts that would result from the construction of the facility.

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