WHITE PLAINS: Seventh Trustee Joins Power Authority Board—Leonard Spano of Yonkers is the newest member of the Power Authority Board of Trustees following his nomination by Gov. George Pataki and confirmation by the state Senate on June 23. Spano’s appointment brings the NYPA board to its full seven members, as provided under the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005. “Len Spano will be applying many years of highly valued experience in local government and the energy industry to his new oversight responsibilities on the Power Authority board,” said Frank McCullough, Jr., NYPA chairman. “His administrative and policy-setting experiences over four decades as Westchester County clerk and a county legislator, and knowledge of our industry, will be of enormous benefit as the Power Authority works toward meeting Governor Pataki’s statewide goals for economical and reliable electricity, clean air, and economic development.” Spano served as Westchester County clerk from 1993 to 2005 and on the county Board of Legislators, representing White Plains and Yonkers, from 1971 to 1993. He headed a home heating and fuel business in Yonkers from 1961 to 1978. His confirmation as a trustee, to a one-year term, follows the state Senate’s reappointment last week of three current NYPA trustees: Chairman McCullough; Michael Townsend, vice chairman; and Joseph Seymour. Their new terms run to May 2010, May 2011 and May 2007, respectively. The remaining members of the Power Authority board are Elise Cusack, Robert Moses and Thomas Scozzafava.

NEW YORK CITY: NYPA’s Role Cited in Conserving Energy—Aggressive efforts are needed to address global energy issues such as cutting dependence on oil, combating global warming and ensuring reliable energy supplies, and the Power Authority can provide the leadership to reach these goals, according to NYPA President Timothy Carey. “NYPA has invested more than $900 million in energy-efficient refrigerators, lighting, heating and ventilation and energy control systems in public buildings throughout the state, saving taxpayers $92 million in energy costs, and avoiding the importation of more than 1.5 million barrels of foreign oil every year,” Carey told the New York Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers at the New York Academy of Science in June. In a separate speech to the New Energy Symposium in Albany, Carey said the Power Authority’s development of projects ranging from solar power and fuel cells to the use of clean coal and hydrogen would help meet the state’s growing clean-energy needs. “Governor Pataki has staked out strong positions on renewable energy, clean transportation and energy efficiency, and in improving air quality,” Carey said. “I think it’s safe to say the governor has capitalized more on the Power Authority’s unique strengths and capabilities than has any other governor.” Also in June, Carey was honored for his leadership in the environmental development of Battery Park City in Manhattan, where he previously was president and CEO. The award was given by Solar One, created by the Community Environmental Center as a not-for-profit association to provide environmental education in the East Side’s Stuyvesant Cove Park.

LEWISTON: Major Overhaul Completed at NYPA Plant— A $20 million maintenance overhaul has been completed at the Lewiston Pump-Generating Plant, the smaller of the two generating facilities at NYPA’s Niagara Power Project. Started in early 1996, the overhaul required each of the Lewiston plant’s 12 pump-turbine units to be disassembled for cavitation repairs and other preventive maintenance. Cavitation damage occurs on turbine blades as a result of low-pressure air bubbles found in the water that powers hydroelectric turbine-generators. While the turbines were sent off-site for rehabilitation, most of the overhaul work was done by NYPA staff members. Completed on-time and on-budget, the overhaul will extend the life of the Lewiston plant’s equipment. Meanwhile, a $300 million upgrade, begun in 1991, at the project’s Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant will be drawing to a close at the end of this year.

NORTH BLENHEIM: NYPA Contributes to Emergency Groups—The Power Authority has presented a total of $20,000 to nine fire and rescue organizations that serve communities in the area near NYPA’s Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project. The organizations include the Middleburgh Fire Department, Middleburgh Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Conesville Fire Department, Conesville Rescue Squad, Jefferson Fire Department, Jefferson Rescue Squad, Grand Gorge Fire Department, Grand Gorge Rescue Squad and Blenheim Hose Company. The emergency organizations would respond to emergencies at the power plant, and also serve the towns and villages that NYPA employees and their families call home.

MASSENA: Power Authority Receives United Way Awards— The United Way of Northern New York has given two major awards to the Power Authority following a highly successful contribution campaign at NYPA’s St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project. Two awards—the “Paying Attention to the People of the North Country” and “Gold” awards—recognized NYPA’s success in increasing the participation rate and total contributions of the power project staff. Employees contributed $6,202 in 2005, exceeding the campaign goal of $6,000. NYPA had a 15 percent increase in participation, and 95 percent of the participating employees increased their contributions. The funds were distributed to United Way partner agencies in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. Ed Rider, NYPA senior staff consultant and member of the United Way Board of Directors, and Jill Chamberlain, community relations associate at the project and 2005 in-house coordinator for the drive, accepted the awards for NYPA. Thomas Scozzafava of Gouverneur, who served as the St. Lawrence County campaign chairman for the United Way and also is a Power Authority trustee, said, “The response at St. Lawrence-FDR in the recent campaign is in keeping with the Power Authority’s long tradition of working to be a good neighbor in the North Country.”

NORTH BLENHEIM: Antique Auto Show Set for July 16— The Schoharie Valley Antique Auto Show and Flea Market will be held July 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at NYPA’s Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project Visitors Center. Hundreds of antique cars and trucks will be on display, spruced up with vintage chrome aglow, including a 1948 Tucker with its signature Cyclops-like third-eye headlight—the “Tucker Torpedo”—which is said to command a hefty $700,000 on the auction block in prime condition. This Tucker, one of only 51 built, was featured in the film, “Preston Tucker: The Man & His Dream.” Some of the top street rods in the region will also be on display, and trophies will be awarded for “best in class.” Mike the Juggler will perform, and barbecue will be available. Admission of $3 per person—with children under 12 free—will benefit the Schoharie Valley Animal Shelter.

In the Community: The Power Authority helped celebrate Independence Day by sponsoring concerts and fireworks at Astoria Park, Queens, and at White Plains High School, June 29…NYPA displayed an electric vehicle or informational booth at Artpark’s “Tuesdays in the Park” concert, Lewiston, June 27; at the “Make Every Day Earth Day Expo” at the Buffalo Zoo; at the Niagara ’06 Auto Swap Meet and Car Show, Niagara Fairgrounds, Lockport; at the Taste of Lewiston, a culinary-arts festival, June 25; and at Tourism Day at the Clarence rest stop on the New York State Thruway, sponsored by the Buffalo/Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, June 23.