The New York State Department of Public Service held a meeting on Nov. 15 to allow local residents an opportunity to comment on the proposed electric generating facility KeySpan is seeking to construct at a site on Spagnoli Road in the Town of Huntington.

According to KeySpan, they proposed the construction of a natural gas-fired 250-megawatt combined cycle generating facility to serve the need for electricity on Long Island and the proposed location is situated on an undeveloped 31-acre parcel along Spagnoli Road in Huntington.

KeySpan is currently seeking a certificate to construct the facility until Article X of the New York State Public Service Law and has submitted a Preliminary Scoping Statement that describes the project.

Article X of the New York State Public Service Law sets forth a review process in New York State for consideration of any application to construct and operate an electric generating facility with a capacity of 80 megawatts or more. An applicant must meet Article X requirements to obtain the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need that is needed before construction begins.

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board), which is comprised of seven members, decides an application filed under Article X. The Article X process guarantees, and highly encourages, opportunities for public involvement. For information regarding specific Article X projects, including the Spagnoli Road proposal, visit the Department of Public Service's website at www.dps.state.ny.us/article.htm.

This proposed project is in a beginning phase and, according to Kimberly Harriman, assistant council with the Department of Public Service, one of the governmental entities involved in review of electric generating siting applications, conversations have taken place between staff at the Department of Public Service, staff at the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health regarding the content of the draft stipulations. The applicant is obligated to present draft stipulations, which are designed to serve as a road map for the applicant to follow in developing a full-blown application.

The Department of Public Service mailed individuals the specific draft stipulations on Oct. 29 and other copies were also available at the meeting. Although this meeting was not considered an official record, a stenographer was present to record comments. Two public hearings will be held before any record is sent to the siting board.

Although this project is in the Town of Huntington, nearby Town of Oyster Bay residents feel the construction would greatly impact them and are concerned about the proximity of their homes to the proposed plant. Many residents from Plainview, Old Bethpage, Farmingdale, Woodbury and Syosset were present at the meeting to voice their concerns.

Representatives from the Department of Public Service and from the Department of Environmental Conversation were at the meeting to take notes, listen to the residents, but not to answer any questions or offer comments. Local politicians in attendance included Assemblyman David Sidikman, a representative for Senator Carl Marcellino, a representative for Town of Oyster Bay Councilman Bonnie Eisler, a representative for Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, a representative for Senator Kemp Hannon and a representative for Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs.

Community members present at the meeting were allowed to comment only on topics contained in the draft stipulations, which include air quality and meteorology; cultural resources; electric transmission facilities; fuel facilities; land uses and local laws; noise; social and economic implications; geology, seismology and soils; terrestrial ecology; traffic and transportation; aesthetics and visual resources; water resources; reliability and alternatives; decommissioning requirements; solid and hazardous wastes and system production modeling.

Lisa, a resident of Old Bethpage, said that she lives only one-mile from the proposed site and attended a number of the meetings that have been held on this subject. She said she attempted to read through all the materials that were sent to her, but is not a lawyer and two weeks was not enough time to review and understand the information. She requested that residents get more time to review and reschedule the meeting for sometime in December or January. Although there was a roar of applause from the crowd, those present were not allowed to comment.

Many residents are concerned about Farmingdale's Republic Airport and the affect that the proposed plant will have on take-offs, departures and everyday happenings at the airport. The proposed plan includes a 195-foot smokestack that some feel might hinder sight for pilots and flight personnel. Also, the heat plume was mentioned as a concern at the meeting and many were concerned about the impact that has on the nearby airport. "We don't want our residential area to become another Rockaway," one concerned resident said.

A representative of the Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale said, "We should consider the residents and not the tradesmen because we're the ones who have to live here. We don't want to become the sixth borough of New York City."

One concerned Old Bethpage resident said, "This is under the Town of Huntington's jurisdiction. I attend these meetings and make phone calls, but I feel like there is no point because I am in the Town of Oyster Bay." Another Old Bethpage resident said that the Old Bethpage Fire Department is closest to the sight and would theoretically be the first to respond to a call.

Mark, who lives less than 3/4 of a mile from the proposed site, said a comprehensive Master Plan must be developed before this or any other power plant is approved. A Master Plan is something that is in the beginning stages in the Town of Oyster Bay and the Town of Huntington has not yet been initiated.

South Huntington Alliance for Responsible Energy Development (SHARED) is against this project as they say that the proposed plant seriously violates Huntington's Town Zoning laws. "The proposed site is currently zoned for light industrial (I-2) and residential (R-40) use. Town zoning laws require heavy industrial (I-6) zoning to build a power plant. KeySpan has announced that it will bypass the Town of Huntington and try to get approval directly from the New York State Siting Board," according to a statement from SHARED, which is an alliance of area businesses opposing the proposed Spagnoli Road power plant whose efforts are supported by more than 400 residents living in the towns of Oyster Bay, Huntington and Babylon.

Copies of the Preliminary Scoping Statement are available for review at Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library, Syosset Public Library, and Farmingdale Public Library or by calling KeySpan at 1-877-822-1300. No date has been set for any further meetings at this time.