New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Newtown too dirty for us,
says developer

By ELIZABETH HAYS
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, October 28th, 2003

A controversial Greenpoint power plant developer rejected a city proposal yesterday to shift the project to a site on Newtown Creek instead of the East River.

The power plant developer, TransGas Energy Systems, said the proposed site is not feasible because it is heavily contaminated and would take too long to clean up.

The 9.8-acre Newtown Creek property owned by ExxonMobil is the site of a 17 million gallon oil spill - the largest urban oil spill in U.S. history. It has only been partly cleaned up.

TransGas rejected the plan in testimony submitted to the state Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment, which must approve new power plant projects.

The company also said the alternate site would increase air pollution in the city and could violate water quality standards in the creek.

The company is seeking to build an 1,100-megawatt electric and steam plant on an oil depot site at Kent Ave. and North 12th St.

The project has sparked outrage from community members who charge that north Brooklyn already has too many power plants.

Mayor Bloomberg has also come out against the plan. His administration is eying the area for redevelopment and possible use if the city lands the 2012 Olympic games.

"It's not surprising that TransGas would choose to take the path of least resistance, but we will continue our ongoing dialogue with them to address their issues," said Jennifer Falk, a spokeswoman for Mayor Bloomberg.

"This proposal is what's best for the residents of Greenpoint-Williamsburg and all New Yorkers."

City officials noted that the oil depot site also requires extensive cleanup.