Support Lower Energy Costs for New York Consumers

[bq]”By permitting the New Market Project, New York will see an influx of private investment, tax dollars, and much-needed job creation.”[/bq]

Why does Gov. Coumo continue to stand in the way of progress and lower energy costs for New York families and small businesses?

We need your help to take a stand against his anti-consumer policies by voicing your support for the New Market project to the DEC which will save New Yorkers almost $20 million in the first ten years of operation – not to mention the hundreds of new jobs that will be created.

Tell the Cuomo Administration, we need to approve infrastructure projects like New Market for the benefit of all New York consumers.

Dear Mr. Hogan:

I am writing to urge to you promptly approve the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) Air State Facility Permits for the Dominion Transmission, Inc. (DTI) New Market Project.  The NYSDEC should issue the Air State Facility Permits without further delay.

The New Market Project is critical to National Grid’s ability to continue to fulfill customer requests for new gas service in The Albany/Capital Region. It will provide customers access to inexpensive domestic gas supply for an anticipated reduction in gas costs of $20M over the first ten years of service in the Brooklyn Union service area. Without the New Market Project, New York customers will remain vulnerable to the same kind of extreme price spikes as were experienced as a result of the 2014 Polar Vortex. These pricing spikes cost regional electric markets hundreds of millions of dollars.

Further, I support the New Market Project which will reduce our dependence on foreign sourced natural gas.  With the New Market Project, National Grid will be able to deliver domestically produced natural gas to its Brooklyn Union customers instead of relying on imported natural gas from Canada.

I support the work that the NYDEC staff has made to draft the three air permits in a way that protects the public health and our environment.  As the FERC’s Order states, “The analysis in the EA went further than NYSDEC’s permit review requires, as NYSDEC did not require any air quality impact modeling.” Further, the FERC’s EA went on to state that “the meteorological data used are pre-processed data sets provided by the NYSDEC, who approved their use for the Project.”

Following its nearly two-year review of the New Market Project, the FERC in its Environmental Assessment  concluded “that if DTI constructs and operates all Project facilities in accordance with its commitments and equipment specifications provided in its application, the Project including all new and modified compressor stations would not result in a significant impact on regional air quality.”

I am pleased that the draft permit for the Brookman Corners Station includes the voluntary improvements Dominion made to the project after the FERC application that include: installation of an oxidation catalyst on its existing turbine which will deliver a 90% reduction of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and HAPs, electric and air driven starters on its engines, technologically enhanced blow down systems, and compliance with the EPA’s OOOOa regulations.   I congratulate Dominion and the NYSDEC for including these improvements that further demonstrate the project’s negative impact on our health and our regional air quality.

In conclusion, I would like to quote from the FERC’s landmark Human Health Risk Assessment of the New Market Project:

“We conclude there would be no significant impact on health in the Project areas from inhalation of emissions associated with the proposed / modified compressor stations.”

Thank you for allowing me to make comments on the three draft air permits for the New Market Project and please approve these permits once the comment period ends so New Yorkers can realize lower energy bills.

Sincerely,