Cortlandt Town Board Expresses Opposition To Pipeline

CORTLANDT, N.Y. -- The Town Board along with many residents, and the citizen's task force are continuing to express their opposition to the Spectra A.I.M. natural pipeline expansion project, as they have for the past three years.

Cortlandt Town Supervisor, Linda Puglisi, said the city has spent more than $30,000 fighting the Spectra A.I.M. natural pipeline expansion project, to no avail, as construction has begun on the pipeline.
Photo Credit: *Jessica Glenza*

K Reakes

03/07/2016 2:00 p.m.

They have submitted petitions, passed resolutions, written letters, held rallies and press conferences and attended every F.E.R.C., D.E.C., etc. public hearing on this project.

" We are against the expansion and re-routing of the Algonquin/Spectra gasline for the following reasons," said Cortlandt Supervisor Linda D. Puglisi:

Too close to Indian Point nuclear plants (it was re-routed closer than it was before).
The pressure was being increased by 25 percent.
It was being re-routed only 500 ft. from an elementary school in Buchanan.
Concern about ecological and environmental impacts to the Hudson River, the riverbed, the fish hatching area of Haverstraw Bay, the watershed.
Concern about airborne particles due to the construction, which by the way, our residents are experiencing today in the Verplanck area of town.
Arguments about thousands of trees some 100-plus years old being felled and the devastation this would do to the community was part of the opposition. This concern has also become a reality as can be viewed in the Cortlandt community.
Noise pollution was another issue during the lengthy construction, as well as truck traffic and many equipment staging areas.

"All have been part of this construction process that began in mid-2015. For three long years we all fought this large impactful project and then F.E.R.C. which supersedes a local government approved the project going from Pennsylvania, across the Hudson River, through Cortlandt and northern Westchester County up to New England, on March 3, 2015 and refused to re-open their public hearings after we all requested to be re-heard," she said.

"Governor, Andrew Cuomo, who received our letters and petitions over the years, has finally come out in opposition to the Spectra/Algonquin pipeline project, asking for a full assessment since it’s close to Indian Point. I am pleased that he has come forward but it may be too late since construction approved by F.E.R.C. began eight months ago," she added.

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