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For Immediate Release: 04/27/21 John B. Howard, Interim Chair
Contact: James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
21045 / 20-T-0549 April 27, 2021
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Virtual Public Statement Hearings to be Held on New York Transco’s Proposed Transmission Project |
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ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) announced that it will hold two virtual public statement hearings on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, related to the request by New York Transco LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) to construct, operate and maintain the Rock Tavern to Sugarloaf project located within the Towns of New Windsor, Hamptonburgh, Blooming Grove, and Chester in Orange County. To construct the project, Transco must obtain a Certificate from the Commission pursuant to Article VII of the Public Service Law. Transco’s proposed project includes the replacement of an existing 12-mile overhead 115 kilovolt (kV) electric transmission line and associated transmission towers spanning between the Rock Tavern Substation, located in the Town of New Windsor and the existing Sugarloaf switching station, located in the Town of Chester. The project also includes upgrades to the existing Sugarloaf switching station owned by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (Central Hudson), construction of a new 138 kV tie line that would exit the rebuilt Central Hudson Sugarloaf Substation and terminate at the existing 138 kV Sugarloaf switching station owned by Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., and replacement of the first structure outside the rebuilt Central Hudson Sugarloaf Substation. The project is proposed to be located entirely within an existing utility-owned or controlled right-of-way and on existing utility-owned or controlled land. Under New York State Law, the Commission may adopt or reject Transco’s proposal, in whole or part, or modify it. In doing so, the Commission will consider input from the participating parties and the general public. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) is presiding over the gathering of public comments and all evidence related to the project. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that opportunities for public comment regarding Transco’s request will be provided as follows:
To register electronically: Participants who would like to provide a statement and will log in to the hearing electronically may register to do so by visiting www.webex.com, where they should click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, enter the event number listed above, and provide all requested information.
On the date and time of the hearing, participants should visit www.webex.com, click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, and input the event number for the hearing. Participants will be asked to “select audio system.” It is recommended that participants choose to have the system “call me” or “call using computer.” The “call me” option will require participants to enter their phone numbers.
To register by phone: Any participant who is not able to login to a hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants wishing to make a statement at a hearing must register to do so in advance by calling 1-800-342-3330, by the date and time noted above, where they should follow prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide the following information: first and last name, address, and phone number.
On the day and time of the hearing, all call-in users should dial, (518) 549-0500, and enter the access code listed above to join the hearing.
All participants will be muted upon entry into the hearing. The ALJ will call each person who has requested to provide a statement to speak. The ALJ will continue the hearing until everyone registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made to include their comments in the record. Reasonable time limits may be set for each speaker as necessary to afford all registered speakers an opportunity to be heard. It is recommended that lengthy comments be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. A verbatim transcript of the hearing will be made for inclusion in the record of this case.
To listen to the hearing: Any person who would like to listen to the hearing but would not like to make a statement may access the hearing without registering. The hearing will be livestreamed on the internet and available for viewing on the Department of Public Service’s YouTube channel on the date and times listed above. To access the YouTube channel, visit the Department’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, and click on the YouTube icon at the bottom of the homepage. In addition, any person without internet access may listen to a hearing by phone by calling the phone access number, (518) 549-0500, and entering the access code.
Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should call the Department of Public Service’s Human Resources Management Office at (518) 474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Department at (800) 342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this notice.
The application may be reviewed online at the Department of Public Service website, www.dps.ny.gov. To access documents, go to “Search,” type the case number, “20-T-0549,” and click “Search by Case Number.” The application is also available for review at local public libraries in the project vicinity.
Other Ways to Comment
For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at a public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide your comments to the Commission. Comments should refer to “Case 20-T-0549.” Although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding, they are requested by May 21, 2021.
Via the Internet or Mail: The public may enter comments directly into the case file from the Department of Public Service website, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “Search” at the top of the page and then entering “20-T-0549” into the “Search by Case Number” field. In the open case, access the screen to enter comments by clicking on the “Post Comments” box at the top right of the page. Comments may also be submitted electronically to the Hon. Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, at secretary@dps.ny.gov, or by mail to the Honorable Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, New York State Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. All written comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission and may be accessed on the Department of Public Service website by searching by the case number, as described above, and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab.
Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Department of Public Service’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24-hours a day. These calls are not transcribed verbatim, but a summary is provided to the Commission by the ALJ. |
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