NEW YORK: Assembly Urged to Back Gas Turbines—Representatives of three state agencies urged the New York State Assembly on March 22 to support the Power Authority's program to install 10 small, clean gas-turbine generators in New York City in time to help stave off blackouts and price spikes this summer. "A delay of even one day would bring us that much closer to the kinds of blackouts, brownouts and price spikes that have created the crisis in California," NYPA President Gene Zeltmann said at an Assembly hearing. He said NYPA is moving ahead quickly with installation of the new natural gas-fueled units in an effort to meet the crucial summer deadline while complying with all environmental standards and conducting an ambitious public outreach program. Also at the hearing, Maureen Helmer, chairman of the state Public Service Commission, warned that a shortage of generating capacity "undermines the provision of safe and reliable electric service to the city." Glen Bruening, executive deputy commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, testified that "NYPA's commitment to mitigate emissions from these plants goes above and beyond our regulatory requirements." The hearing at the City University Graduate Center was conducted by the Assembly committees on Environmental Conservation; Energy; and Corporations, Authorities and Commissions.

NEW YORK: Community Input Sought to Offset Emissions—The Power Authority is asking residents in the communities in which it is building small turbine-generators in New York City for suggestions on how to offset any new emissions from the units, which will be the city's cleanest power plants. The offset program will insure there will be no net increase in emissions in the neighborhoods where the turbines will operate. "We are asking those residents living near the generator sites to propose ways to cut other emissions so we have a zero increase in pollution," said NYPA Chairman Joseph J. Seymour. The Power Authority is installing 10 generators in New York City and one in Brentwood, L.I., to help meet an anticipated need for new sources of electricity during the coming summer season. He said ideas could include suggestions for conserving energy, for employing clean forms of localized electricity production, for operating existing power plants more efficiently or for cutting use of gas-guzzling vehicles. Seymour asked that anyone with suggested offsets write to him by April 20 at the New York Power Authority, 123 Main St., White Plains, NY 10601.

LOUISVILLE: NYPA Leases Land for Water Treatment Plant— Power Authority trustees on March 27 voted to lease land to the Town of Louisville for construction of a water treatment plant. The new plant will provide clean drinking water to town residents who have been on a "boil water" notice since early 1999 and must use bottled drinking water. The term of the lease is 25 years, with the token annual lease payment of $1 waived. The existing Tucker Terrace Water System is located on about two acres of the 202 acres of land currently under lease from the Power Authority to the Massena Country Club. The proposed plant will be constructed on the site, directly adjacent to the existing system, which will be demolished after the new plant is constructed. The new system will provide water for an estimated 320 residences and several small commercial properties. The Massena Country Club and the Massena Town Beach, both on lands owned by the Power Authority, will also receive potable water from the plant.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.: NYPA Rated Safest of Large Utilities—For the fifth consecutive year, the American Public Power Association (APPA) has honored the Power Authority with its highest Electric Utility Safety Award. In 2000, NYPA posted the most accident-free year in its history, with a 34 percent improvement in the rate of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This ranked best among all large public utilities, those recording at least 4 million worker-hours a year. The APPA, representing more than 2,000 publicly owned electric utilities nationally, presented the award at its annual Engineering and Operations conference here on March 27.

NORTH BLENHEIM: Anglers' Alert: They're Biting at B-G—The fishing season has begun at NYPA's Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project in the northern Catskills. The project's scenic lower reservoir, off State Route 30 in Schoharie County, is open to fishing from power boats, rowboats, canoes and the shoreline. Fishing from the non-motorized boats and the shoreline at the project's upper reservoir, atop Brown Mountain, will be restricted due to ice conditions until about mid-May. Both reservoirs are stocked in the spring and offer an abundance of walleye, bass, yellow perch and rainbow and brown trout. As part of a recreational program in the area, NYPA also developed Mallet Pond, a 17-acre fishery in the Hamlet of Summit, about 10 miles northwest of the project. It's stocked with trout and administered by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The Power Authority also offers fishing opportunities at its Niagara Power Project in Lewiston and St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project in Massena.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: NYPA to Co-sponsor Acid Rain Conference— Congressional leaders, scientists and federal and state officials will head the list of speakers at a conference on Acid Rain: Are the Problems Solved?, scheduled for May 2 and 3 in Washington, D.C. The Power Authority is among more than 50 federal and state agencies, environmental organizations, research institutes, trade associations and companies co-sponsoring the conference, organized by the Rochester-based Center for Environmental Information. The program will provide information on scientific, economic and policy aspects of acid deposition; examine linkages between acid deposition and hazardous air pollutants, ozone and climate change; and detail the ecological and economic benefits—and costs—of reducing emissions. For more information, contact the Center of Environmental Information at (716) 262-2870 or send an e-mail to ceiroch@aol.com.

In the Community: A Power Authority electric vehicle was scheduled to be on view at the Joseph Henry Science Fair, at the Albany Pharmacy College, March 30….Karen Toften and Roma Buel, NYPA tour guides, were scheduled to speak about careers in the electric utility industry, at Walton Central School, March 29….NYPA staff members were slated to travel to Orchard Park to give energy-education demonstrations at Discovery Night 2001, at Windom Elementary School, March 28….The Power Authority sponsored a breakfast meeting of the Westchester Community College board at NYPA's White Plains office, March 28….A Power Authority exhibit was on display at the Guilderlands Chamber of Commerce's Family Expo 2001, Crossgates Mall, March 24….Sharon E. Johnson, a NYPA marketing and economic development analyst, was honored as the Power Authority's Black Achiever of the Year at a dinner sponsored by the Harlem YMCA, New York Hilton Hotel and Towers, Manhattan, March 22….NYPA President Eugene Zeltmann participated in a panel discussion on the deregulation of the electric utility industry, at a breakfast meeting sponsored by the New York State Energy Association, State Education Building, Albany, March 21….Staff members continued their community outreach in support of the emergency generators NYPA is installing in New York City with a public meeting at St. Mary’s School, Staten Island, March 28. Meetings were also held with Brooklyn Community Board #1, March 27; Jim Molinaro, Staten Island’s deputy borough president, March 26; and the South Bronx Board of Trade, March 14.