Today in Massena the New York Power Authority held two public hearings on the allocation of 20 megawatts of hydro power to the St. Lawrence River Valley Re-development Agency or RVRDA. The hearings were scheduled this afternoon and evening from 2-4 and 7-9. You know, the same time frame funeral homes traditionally set aside for calling hours at wakes for dead people.
Unfortunately for me, I arrived at approximately 8:50 because I had another meeting to attend. Well, when I got there the hearing was closed and I was told I could submit written comments until 5 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, July 23.
When I looked at my watch in frustration and asked if the public comment period would be extended because the hearing was closed early, I was told "it was only five minutes!"
Right, and it's only the future of our local economy that is at stake, so why not close up shop early?
Anyway, I will submit written comments via e-mail and you should also, but you only have a few hours left to do.
It is vitally important for two reason: only a small handful of people showed up at the hearings, and Governor Paterson is allegedly opposed to the power allocation.
I've been told by someone who knows much more about NYPA and Albany than I, that the "Second Floor" (of the New York State Capital Building in Albany, where the Governor's office is located) doesn't think all that power should be given to our area.
These are the same folks who tried to close the Ogdensburg Prison and who can only find Northern New York at election time, if then.
So please take a few minutes to drop them a line and set them straight. It's our river and our power. They owe it to us.
Written comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. Friday, July 23. Send them to: secretarys.office@nypa.gov For more information, contact NYPA Corporate Secretary Karen Delince at 1 (914) 390-8085.
Joe-
ReplyDeleteI made it a point to be at the NYPA public hearing to speak in support of the funds and the energy being provided to St. Lawrence County and to encourage the NYPA trustees and the governor to sign the documents authorizing that. I was embarrassed that, of the 11 people there, 6 were working for NYPA, 2 were reporters, and ONLY 3 WERE THERE TO REPRESENT ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY!!! Where was everyone??? Where were all of our elected representatives? Isn't it important to demonstrate with numbers of people that we believe that these 2 packages are CRITICAL to our county's future??? What happened? I was also told that there were only 10 people at the afternoon hearing!!! 13 people out of over 100,000 residents in our county?? That percentage is too small to even calculate meaningfully. I hope more people send in written comments in support of these financial assistance packages.
Absolutely right Dan. Was the RVRDA even represented there? I don't know the answer to that. I hope they were. But where were the town, village and county board members? Economic development people? Chambers of Commerce? Does anyone know who attended?
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