July 24, 2017
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced a Public Comment Hearing on July 27th, in Monticello, where we can tell DEC to shut the Millennium Eastern System Upgrade (ESU) Project down. Catskill Mountainkeeper will be there and we need you there too.
The Monticello High School Auditorium, at 39 Breakey Avenue in Monticello, will host the hearing this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. We will tell the DEC to deny Millennium’s permit applications, because of the serious water quality and air quality impacts from the Millennium ESU that require NYDEC to deny the company’s request for a Clean Water Act 401 Certification and Clean Air Act permit.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has indicated they are likely to approve this ESU Project, but the DEC has the power to say “NO.” The DEC needs to see the public standing up and saying NO, along with a large number of significant and substantive objections. This is our chance.
We hope to see you in Monticello. If you’re looking for some talking points, read on.
The DEC can really make a difference and this may be one of our last opportunities to weigh in. This one-two punch of public outpouring at both the public hearing and through the public comment period on the ESU and the Valley Lateral projects is how we can be effective. So, join us. Tell the NYSDEC to deny all permits before them for the ESU project.
Sincerely,
Wes Gillingham, Associate Director
Catskill Mountainkeeper
Public Hearing Talking Points:
Millennium’s proposals are complex and detailed, but in an attempt to boil it down here are two key points DEC needs to hear:
- Millennium is attempting make the pipeline and compressor stations’ environmental and health impacts look smaller than they are by breaking up or ‘segmenting’ the Eastern States Upgrade. But make no mistake, all of these compressor stations and pipelines are related and they should be reviewed as one project. The DEC must perform an environmental review that includes an analysis of the cumulative impacts of the other compressor stations connected to this project..
- The statewide fracking ban was largely founded on the Department of Health’s conclusions that fracking would have adverse impacts on New Yorkers’ health. In order to protect us DEC should also evaluate the compressor stations’ and pipelines’ public health impacts before any further air and water permits are granted.
To read the application itself, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/110570.html
DEC is also considering permitting the Valley Lateral Project, a new 7.8 mile-long, 16-inch diameter natural gas pipeline from Millennium's existing main line pipeline north to the new 650 megawatt gas-powered Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) Valley Energy Center being challenged by citizens in the Town of Wawayanda. This application is part of the Millennium project and both of the above comments apply. Please considering sending these to the DEC (at [email protected]).
Thank you for your time and support on this important issue and for continuing to make change here at home.
