Debate, fight rage on at NYRI info meeting

NORWICH – Even though the Albany power line company was not there, Wednesday’s public New York Regional Interconnection meeting wouldn’t have been the same without a little debate.

There were roughly 300 people gathered in the Norwich High School auditorium when STOP NYRI co-chair Eve Ann Shwartz affirmed that last night’s gathering was just a quick pit stop on what will most likely be a long and arduous road fighting NYRI.

“We are here to check the pulse to see where we are,” said Shwartz. “And recognize that this fight is not over ... and we’ll go wherever the legal battle takes us.”

Questions from the crowd took a 12-person expert panel to task down several different paths – all seemingly leading to Albany and Washington. The queries reflected the numerous concerns of local communities, whose residents are hoping officials and agencies from both capitals will protect them from having to harbor a high voltage power line.

Local real estate broker Bruce Beadle provided one of the first public assessments of the power line’s effect on local property values – in this case before they even exist.

“The real-estate market is the victim of perception, and right now the public perceives that we are in a battle,” said Beadle. “The activity level has dropped off severely. Is this affecting us? Absolutely.” Beadle said that he has had several prospective investors hold off on projects to await the final decision on the power line, which could take years.

Also at issue was the constitutionality of the newly-signed eminent domain law removing NYRI’s power to take private property without negotiations, in order to secure land for its proposal.

“They should have repealed the entire section and made a change in policy,” said local attorney Mary Jo Long, who argued that the law will not stop NYRI because it was made ex-post facto, meaning it wasn’t created before NYRI met the legal criteria. “Neither Democrats nor Republicans want to change the policy that gives private corporations the power of eminent domain.”