NYRI opponents denied request

ALBANY – A request filed by a government-backed group opposed to New York Regional Interconnect asking that the power line company be required to file additional information about its project was denied last week.

The state Public Service Commission ruled that Communities Against Regional Interconnect’s (CARI) motion for more information – specific to NYRI’s route alternatives, environmental impacts and visual impacts – was “premature,” and should be pursued once legal hearings in the case begin.

NYRI claims it has already answered CARI’s requests in previous permit filings.

“NYRI and CARI clearly disagree as to the sufficiency of the information that has been presented by the applicant to date,” stated the PSC ruling, issued May 22. “The true issues appear to be the quality of the application, including the completeness of the evidence submitted ... The completeness of the application, however, does not depend on the weight ultimately to be accorded the evidence; that question is established after the evidence is subjected to scrutiny through discovery, testimony, and cross-examination.”