STATEMENT ON NY POWER AUTHORITY’S PROPOSED POWER GENERATION PLANT IN CLIFTON, STATEN ISLAND

January 25, 2001

Good evening. My name is Debi Rose. I come before you tonight as a community activist and leader for over 25-years, as a member of Community Board #1 on the North Shore and as a candidate for the 49^th City Council district this year.

First, I want to be clear that I understand the purpose and need for the placement of additional power generation plants to meet the growing electric demand in the City and State. One need only look at the ongoing crisis in California for potential ramifications of not having sufficient capacity. That being said, I can even understand that the Power Authority’s plan attempts to spread the need for these plants throughout the City as “temporary measures” until larger plants are built. Call me cynical - but for Staten Islanders the words “temporary measures” does not bode well. We have been dealing with the temporary garbage facility at Fresh Kills for over forty years.

Obviously the residents of the entire City are the consumers of this power and therefore should bear some burden in hosting these plants. The question, however, is whether the Clifton site chosen by Power Authority is the best location for such a plant of Staten Island. I clearly believe that it is not! It is clear from the Power Authority’s decision to relocate the plant from its first site on Virginia Avenue, that they can – and I believe should – consider alternate locations for this plant. The proposed location raises several questions and concerns:

The first question to be answered is why is NYPA considered this area of Staten Island at all? Weren’t other more appropriate sites throughout Staten Island considered for this generator? So far the only two locations considered by the Power Authority are both in the same residential area of Staten Island.

The Pouch Terminal site of the proposed generator, between Edgewater Street, Lynhurst Avenue and Bay Street, is located in a mixed-use commercial and residential area of Clifton. The proposed site sits adjacent to residential housing, a retail commercial strip mall and a funeral home on Bay Street. On its other border sits Edgewater Plaza, a waterfront multi-use office complex, which is the daily home to hundreds of public and private workers. In addition the site is in close proximity to a major church and school in the Clifton/Rosebank community. I state these concerns not as simply a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) issue but as a community impact concern.

Second, what of the potential environmental impact of the proposed generator? Doesn’t it mean increased air and noise pollution for this community? Should we rely solely on NYPA and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) “environmental assessment” of the proposed site? I do not believe that the “environmental assessment” is sufficient to meet the concerns of the surrounding community. The Clifton/Rosebank community is already the home of a major Sun Chemical Plant, which produces pigment and inks products, the Con Edison Fox Hills substation, as well a numerous industrial and automotive companies. The cumulative environmental effects of these businesses, taken together with this proposed generator plant, can not be taken lightly.

Therefore I call upon the Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct a full environmental impact study on the potential site of the generator before granting a permits for its construction. While I understand that DEC does not have to conduct such a full study, I believe that such a study will give the community better confidence on the impact of this generator and I believe show that this is not the best suited location for it.

Finally while I, and I am sure the community, appreciate the opportunity to share our views regarding the placement by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) of this 44 megawatt gas turbine generator in the Clifton section of Staten Island, I deeply question what if any impact it will have on the final determination in this matter. It is my understanding that the State Department of Environmental Conservation has already granted three-year air control permits for the other 10 NYPA proposed generators in New York City and surrounding areas.

I only hope that you will take these concerns seriously as you further consider this plan. I am willing to work with NYPA and the community to find alternative locations for this generator. Thank you.