Call it the power plant that just won't fizzle out.
TransGas Energy (TGE) has filed a petition with the New York State Board on Electric Generation and Siting and the Environment (hereafter the "Siting Board") - (reading that entire legal brief must have influenced us a bit) - to overturn its June 25th Order that TGE get the necessary approvals from the city to tear up streets and other public right-of-ways to put in underground pipes and steam tunnels.
To make a long story short (the issue will be covered in greater depth in the August 2nd print edition), attorneys for TGE argue that requiring city approval runs counter to the Siting Board's legislative intent, which was to bypass local municipal law that held up the construction of major electric generation facilities. From the legal papers:
A "realistic appraisal" of the statutory language and the legislative intent leads to the conclusion that the Board must have the authority to allow use of the City's property, even over the City's objection, in order to carry out the legislature's intent to elevate the siting of major electric generating facilities to a state, not a local function.
According to TGE's lawyers, the state has basically handed over the decision on whether or not to construct the power plant to the commissioner of the city's Department of Transportation, which would have to grant permits to tear up city streets. The city has been adamantly opposed to the plant, envisioning the North Brooklyn waterfront parcel where TGE wants to build the facility as the home of a future park, as outlined by the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning.
This is just the latest in what appears to be a neverending cycle of legal maneuverings on the part of TGE, which has included suing the city and holding their own confusing eminent domain hearing.
TGE Nearly PUlls Off Public Hearing Under Community's Nose
Efforts to Condemn Bayside Fuel Site Continue
Judge Puts Park Plans on Hold
Monday, July 30, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Domino Sugar Factory Hearing Tuesday
Public Scoping Meeting on the proposed Domino Sugar Rezoning
On July 31, 2007 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM, the Department of City Planning, on behalf of the City Planning Commission, will hold a public scoping meeting on the Draft Scope of Work for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be prepared for the proposed Domino Sugar Rezoning. Comments on the Draft Scope of Work will be accepted at the meeting and for ten days following the meeting.The meeting will take place at the City of New York Department of City Planning, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York 10007.
Innovative Development Launches in Greenpoint
Greenpoint Lofts, a development of business condos on Norman Avenue, held a large launch party on the roof of their five story building last night. The development is billed as Brooklyn’s first commercial condominium, which means that the individual lofts can be purchased and used for business purposes. This type of building is very big in Queens.
The event featured local business owners and artists in the fifth floor lofts spaces, as both Brooklyn neighbors and savvy folks from Manhattan were invited to tour the still under construction project. Word has it that 30% of the units have been filled, which I’m told is quite impressive. The party featured a catered rooftop party and I even got a massage. For more information on the development, check out greenpointlofts.com. Massage courtesy of greenhouseholistic.com.
West Nile Alert
Get out the bug spray.
The Department for Mental Health and Hygiene just issued a press release stating that the West Nile virus has been found in mosquitoes in Queens. The infected pests were collected from a pool in the Flushing section of the borough.
Here are some facts and symptoms to watch out for:
It is estimated that about 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.
The symptoms of severe disease (also called neuroinvasive disease, such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis or West Nile poliomyelitis) include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease. Serious illness can occur in people of any age, however people over age 50 and some immunocompromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.
Most people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with West Nile virus will not develop any type of illness (an asymptomatic infection), however you cannot know ahead of time if you'll get sick or not when infected.
The Department for Mental Health and Hygiene just issued a press release stating that the West Nile virus has been found in mosquitoes in Queens. The infected pests were collected from a pool in the Flushing section of the borough.
Here are some facts and symptoms to watch out for:
It is estimated that about 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.
The symptoms of severe disease (also called neuroinvasive disease, such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis or West Nile poliomyelitis) include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease. Serious illness can occur in people of any age, however people over age 50 and some immunocompromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.
Most people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with West Nile virus will not develop any type of illness (an asymptomatic infection), however you cannot know ahead of time if you'll get sick or not when infected.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Rock-a-Wave at Rockaway
Queens and California just got one step closer as Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer open the second surf beach in the Rockaways. After Beach 67-69 is officially opened for surfing, local beach bums will dash out into the waves and do their best to “hang ten.” The event will be held at 11 am on Friday at Beach 67th St. It should be a swell time.
Get Your Powwow On
Looking for something a little out of the ordinary to do this weekend? Why not head out to New York City’s only working farm for the 29th Annual Thunderbird American Indian Mid-Summer Powwow?
Over 40 Native American tribes will gather in the Queens County Farm Museum apple orchard for music and entertainment. Really, how often do you get to attend an authentic Powwow in New York City? Maybe once a year?
For more info click here.
Outside the Blogosphere
In this week’s issues of the Ledger/Star:
Jeff Harmatz tags along with Western Queens residents to protest Con Edison rate hikes.
Phil Guie gets trapped on the 7 train…and lives to tell about it.
A congresswoman tells you to…Wha?!…keep your money!
Pol Position takes a big lick of Mob Candy.
Shane Miller goes where no member of the public has gone in over 100 years, with a bunch of other people.
Plus the usual tidbits and crumbs of information we know you crave.
Jeff Harmatz tags along with Western Queens residents to protest Con Edison rate hikes.
Phil Guie gets trapped on the 7 train…and lives to tell about it.
A congresswoman tells you to…Wha?!…keep your money!
Pol Position takes a big lick of Mob Candy.
Shane Miller goes where no member of the public has gone in over 100 years, with a bunch of other people.
Plus the usual tidbits and crumbs of information we know you crave.
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