Story Created:
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:09 AM EST
Story Updated:
Sep 8, 2008 at 4:41 PM EST
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The State Public Service Commission is taking the next step in its long process of deciding whether to allow a massive power line to be built right through Central New York.
A meeting got underway Monday morning at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica.
The state has approved the application from the company that wants to build the power line.
Now it has one year to rule on whether to allow it to be built.
State officials are beginning that decision process at MVCC in Utica.
The State Public Service Commission is holding a pre-hearing conference to establish a schedule to address litigation and to address any other issues that come up during the meeting.
The company called New York Regional Interconnect wants to build a massive power line that would begin in Marcy and head downstate to Orange County.
The purpose is to provide the downstate areas with more power, since they have a shortage.
But attorneys representing local municipalities believe the power line would raise our energy costs here in Central New York and have a very negative environmental impact.
"I think there is no party in the case other than the applicants that are in favor of the project and so the City of Utica and the Village of Sherburne are very much opposed to this project," said Daniel Duthrie, an attorney representing Utica and Sherburne. "First of all, we believe that it is not needed, that there are superior alternatives to what is essentially a downstate power problem."
The two state administrative law judges hearing this case will come up with a recommendation and present it to the Public Service Commission board which will make the ultimate decision by the end of next August.
There were several regular citizens opposed to the power line at MVCC Monday morning as well.
"Well, it doesn't hurt to get informed because I have been in that thing from the beginning and I hope we are gonna win," said Elfie Goedeker, a Waterville resident.
The next step in the process is to hold public hearings on the issue.
The first one will be on October 22, also at MVCC.
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