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http://projectseeeds.blogspot.com/
15 March 2016
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Cuomo:
We are writing you on behalf of the thousands of Long Island community members who stand in
opposition to the proposed construction of the 750MW natural gas-fired Caithness II power plant in
Yaphank, New York.
PSEGLI
has
already
determined
that
this
plant
would
unnecessarily
burden
Long
Islands
ratepayers.
For
one,
LIPA
has
contractually
purchased
an
excess
of
electricity
that
is
expected
to
last
until
at
least
2028,
which
means
it
doesnt
need
any
more
energy
commitments
at
this
time,
especially
one
that
is
dependent
on
a
fossil
fuel
source.
Also,
under
the
current
terms
between
LIPA
and
its
ratepayers,
the
multi-billion
dollar
price-tag
attached
to
Caithness
IIs
construction
costs
and
power
purchase
agreement
would
be
derived
from
a
5-10%
increase
in
our
electricity
rates.
This
increase
has
been
cited
to
last
for
the
contractual
length
of
the
power
purchase
agreement
LIPA
would
make
with
Caithness,
typically
20-30
years.
We
already
pay
some
of
the
highest
rates
in
the
nation;
it
would
be
unfair
to
expect
us
to
pay
even
more
for
a
project
that
has
been
deemed
unwarranted,
especially
considering
we
will
have
to
bear
that
expense
until
the
year
2040
or
beyond.
Instead,
any
investments
LIPA
makes
from
this
point
forward
should
be
focused
on
upgrading
the
transmission
and
distribution
system
in
preparation
for
an
energy
economy
that
is
based
on
cleaner
and
more
sustainable
generation
methods.
Another
unfortunate
side
effect
of
the
Caithness
II
project
is
that
the
surplus
of
electricity
it
would
generate
will
displace
what
has
been
a
growing
need
for
local
jobs
in
the
renewable
energy
sector.
Study
after
study
has
proven
that
a
market
based
energy
economy
built
around
sustainable
energy
practices
will
produce
more
long-term/permanent
jobs
than
any
fossil
fuel
proposal.
In
contrast,
this
power
plant
project
is
expected
to
create,
at
most,
580
jobs
over
a
peak
period
of
only
four
months.
Once
the
power
plant
is
constructed,
fewer
than
15
full
time
human
employees
will
operate
the
plant.
15
full-time
positions
and
580
extremely
temporary
construction
jobs
are
not
enough
to
justify
the
long-term
toll
this
power
plant
will
take
on
Long
Island
ratepayers
or
the
environment
in
which
we
live.
Finally,
the
construction
of
the
Caithness
II
power
plant
in
Yaphank,
NY
undermines
both
NYs
Reforming
the
Energy
Vision
initiative
and
the
states
50/30
goals,
which
we
believe
are
reasonable
and
worthwhile
goals
for
Long
Island
to
pursue.
According
to
its
environmental
impact
statement,
Caithness
II
is
expected
to
release
2,434,941
TONS
of
CO2e
into
our
local
atmosphere
each
year,
along
with
uncalculated
amounts
of
methane
gas.
It
will
also
emit
Volatile
Organic
Compounds
and
other
toxins
in
excess
of
current
EPA
thresholds,
requiring
Caithness
to
purchase
emission
reduction
credits
in
order
to
operate
in
the
first
place.
The
American
Lung
Association
has
repeatedly
assigned
Suffolk
County
a
grade
of
F
when
it
comes
to
our
air
quality;
many
of
our
residents
also
suffer
from
respiratory
illness
such
as
lung
cancer
and
asthma.
This
power
plant
will
unnecessarily
harm
the
health
of
our
residents.
It
will
also
burn
oil
when
natural
gas
is
too
expensive
or
limited
in
supply,
and
it
will
rely
on
the
very
same
fracking
industry
against
which
you
have
so
fervently
spoken.
As
though
this
were
not
enough,
the
power
plant
would
also
require
the
rate-payer-funded
construction
of
a
new
natural
gas
transmission
line
from
Connecticut,
across
the
Long
Island
Sound,
through
miles
of
Pine
Barrens,
and
across
two
National
Wild
and
Scenic
Rivers
(the
Peconic
and
the
Carmans)
before
it
reaches
the
power
plant
in
Yaphank,
New
York;
accompanying
this
new
pipeline
will
also
be
the
construction
of
several
compressor
stations.
Altogether,
hundreds
of
acres
of
open
space,
a
rarity
on
Long
Island,
will
be
permanently
decimated
in
the
name
of
Caithness
II.
Honorable
Governor
Cuomo,
we
urge
you
to
resist
the
special
interest
groups
and
Caithness-funded
politicians
who
have
requested
this
power
plant
be
green-lighted.
Caithness
II
is
in
no
way
a
positive
move
for
Long
Islanders;
nor
is
it
a
positive
move
for
New
York
State.
We
support
your
initiative
to
Reform
the
Energy
Vision
and
to
curb
the
negative
effects
our
energy
industry
has
on
climate
change;
we
also
hope
that
you
see
how,
in
this
very
rare
moment,
time
is
on
our
side:
we
have
from
now
until
at
least
2028
to
avoid
locking
ratepayers
into
the
expensive
practices
of
the
past
and
to
instead
build
a
sustainable
and
cleaner
Long
Island
that
benefits
all.
We
therefore
respectfully
request
that
you
act
on
behalf
of
our
health,
our
environment,
and
our
future
financial
sustainability
by
rejecting
any
power
purchase
agreement
LIPA
may
enter
with
Caithness
Long
Island
or
any
of
its
affiliates
aiming
to
build
this
power
plant.
Very
respectfully,
Andrea
M.
Barracca
MaryAnn
Johnston
Co-Founder,
Project
SEEEDS
Co-Founder,
Project
SEEEDS
Middle
Island,
NY
President
of
ABCO,
the
Affiliated
Brookhaven
Civic
Organizations
Thomas
Bjurlof
Mastic,
NY
Co-Founder,
Project
SEEEDS
Port
Jefferson,
NY
Jeffrey
W.
Kagen
Member,
Project
SEEEDS
Peter
Maniscalco
Treasurer,
ABCO,
the
Affiliated
Brookhaven
Civic
Co-Founder,
Project
SEEEDS
Organizations
Former
Coordinator,
Stop
Shoreham
Campaign
Farmingville,
NY
Manorville,
NY