ROCHESTER – The Department of Energy has now had their turn to make opening statements in today’s hearing.

In their opening remarks, a representative from the DOE outlines what a “transmission corridor is,” what the “Energy Act of 2005,” is, and explaining that the Energy Act is what allows the Federal Government to override state law.

The proposed route for the power line, the DOE said, would begin in upstate New York and extend all the way down to Virginia, using a map that outlines the route upon which 55 million people live in.

The DOE said that something needs to be done to fix the energy problems they have noticed, and said that they are not present in support of or against NYRI’s plan.

The DOE “does not make solutions, but is there to recognize problems,” a representative from the DOE said. “We’re not here to build power lines, we’re here to fix problems.”