stop the power plant
greenpoint williamsburg waterfront task force
Press Release

For Immediate Release:
November 12, 2003

For More Information Contact:
Edward Vale, PACE Energy Project (631) 334-8191
** Digital Pictures of events are available,
Lisa Garcia, NYPIRG (646) 281-1104

News Release

Trial Over Power Plant Begins

Future of Brooklyn's Waterfront Hangs in the Balance

New York, NY — After two years of community protest and preliminary legal battles the trial over Trans Gas Energy's (TGE) power plant began today. TGE applied to build a 1,100 MW plant on the waterfront in Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Brooklyn and this proceeding will decide its fate. "We are confident this power plant will not be certified," said Edward Vale of the PACE Energy Project. "Our case shows that the facility would have negative health effects, impede development in the area and harm the environment. The best way to meet the City's energy demands is through re-powering existing plants, investing in renewable technologies and energy conservation."

The City of New York presented testimony that they oppose the project's location. The NYC Department of City Planning is in the process of rezoning the area for open space, redevelopment and use in the 2012 Olympics.

Lisa Garcia, a staff attorney with NYPIRG said, "NYPIRG is fighting the construction of this power plant because of the health and environmental impacts it will have on the residents of the community."

The community is overwhelmingly opposed to TGE and presented the judge with over 10,000 postcards against the plant. A public hearing was held on July 17, 2003 and so many residents came that hundreds of people could not even get into the building.

TGE's plant would emit 1,075 tons per year of toxic emissions and the smoke stack would be 325 feet tall, nearly the same height as the Williamsburg Bridge.

The area of Greenpoint-Williamsburg is already overburdened with many environmental problems. It has the highest concentration of waste transfer stations in the city, the largest sewage treatment plant in the Northeast, an underground 17-million gallon Mobil Oil spill (larger than the Exxon-Valdez spill) and a nuclear waste disposal facility. There are currently five existing or approved power plants along a mile-and-a-half stretch of the waterfront.

The trial began on Wednesday, November 12th and will continue through Thursday, November 20th. The trial is being held at the New York State Department of Public Service's New York City Office at One Penn Plaza, 8th floor, hearing room A.

The PACE Energy Project is representing the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President and the Greenpoint-Williamsburg Waterfront Task Force. NYPIRG will be representing their tens of thousands of members throughout the state.

According to the web site: http://www.followthemoney.org/database/view_groups.phtml?si=200234 Adam Victor, the TransGas Energy power plant developer, made a campaign contribution of $10,000 to Governor Pataki.

The Greenpoint/Williamsburg Waterfront Task Force (GWWTF) is a growing coalition of over 90 community groups, civic groups, religious organizations, businesses, schools and artists organized to stop the TGE project. For more information and a list of member organizations go to: www.stopthepowerplant.org.

NYPIRG is New York State's largest research and advocacy non-profit organization primarily focused on environmental preservation, consumer protection, government reform and public health issues. For more information go to www.nypirg.org