01_jump_nyri

Congressman John McHugh, has asked the
Department of Energy to drastically
increase the number of hearings on the
proposed national interest electric
transmission corridors (NIETC). The
Watertown Republican, whose 23rd District
includes the towns of Hamilton and
Brookfield -- both of which are on the
proposed route of a proposed 400,000-volt
power line project -- has asked that hearings
be held in every congressional district
included in the NIETC mid-Atlantic corridor.

McHugh has also signed on as a co-sponsor
of three pieces of legislation that would
place significant roadblocks in the path of
creation of NIETCs and New York Regional
Interconnect, Inc.'s proposed 200-mile-long
electric transmission project.

Matthew Lavoie, a spokesman for McHugh
said the congressman is the creation of
NIETCs because they "infringe on states'
rights".

Lavoie also said McHugh is a cosponsor of
the bills crafted by other New York
members of the House to block NIETCs
and NYRI. McHugh supports three bills that
would:

-- strip the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) of its ability to use the
power of eminent domain to take property
for electric transmission projects;

-- block funding for FERC to implement the
creation of NIETCs;

-- protect sites of historic, environmental
and cultural importance from power line
projects like NYRI's.

Posted 2007.5.24

Opposition to both NIETCs and NYRI was
evident at the Energy Department hearing in
New York City Wednesday.