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