SAVE
JONES BEACH AD HOC COMMITTEE
PO BOX 631
BABYLON, NEW YORK 11702
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: January 6, 2006
Contacts: Phil Healy 516-790-4431
Walter Arnold 516-221-1770
SJBAHC On LIPA’s Offshore Wind Plant
Babylon, NY- Since its inception the SJBAHC has consistently called for
formal public hearings and full environmental reviews under the laws of the
land regarding LIPA’s offshore wind plant proposal. The SJBAHC has not been
alone in this clarion call for these reviews.
In documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act the SJBAHC has
learned that many civic associations, environmental and fishing organizations,
as well as towns and state and federal regulatory agencies share similar
concerns as the SJBAHC.
“ The SJBAHC has long known that it was not alone in our call for clarity and
transparency in this process,’ stated Phil Healy, Co-Chair of the SJBAHC, ‘
There is a great deal at stake here and we want to be assured that the best
available science is applied and that our laws are being adhered too.”
A sampling of the above mentioned concerns and views are attached and are
provided to you by the SJBAHC.
Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries
Service
August 12, 2005
“ The lack of information of environmental impacts is substantial to the
extent that NMFS is unable to complete its consultation, but we do provide and
request these detailed information needs. ”
Department of Interior US Fish & Wildlife Service
August 11, 2005
“ Specifically, we recommend that the Corps initiate, under NEPA, the
environmental scoping process to determine which studies are appropriate and
necessary to gather additional information for the preparation of an EIS. The
project scoping process should involve both the public and interested
government agencies.”
US Environmental Protection Agency
July 22, 2005
“ EPA is concerned that the project’s potential to cause significant impacts
to the environment has not been fully explored.”
US Coast Guard
August 10, 2005
“ Although located outside of the Nantucket to Ambrose traffic lanes, the risk
to navigation safety may be increased during foul weather or catastrophic
mechanical failure on board a commercial vessel operating within the proximity
to the proposed project. The large commercial vessels utilizing the shipping
lanes frequently
include tankers carrying petroleum products in quantities, which, if
discharged due to a collision, could cause significant environmental impact.”
Department of Interior National Park Service
August 11, 2005
“The NPS would like to see a full cumulative impact analysis regarding
cultural and natural resources. The Fire Island Lighthouse is under the
jurisdiction of the National Park service and we want to ensure that the NEPA
document fully considers the impacts to the historic view shed.”
NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation
July 18, 2005
“In light of the view shed, SHPO is requesting more simulations in order to
fully assess and understand the potential visual impacts. SHPO is requesting
that additional simulations from the beach perspective (not the boardwalk) at
both Jones beach and Robert Moses State Park depicting the view in differing
sun and atmospheric conditions be generated.”
NY State Department of Environmental Conservation
August 11, 2005
“The Department urges the COE to require the preparation of an environmental
impact statement (EIS) for the project and the comments provided below are in
support of that recommendation.”
State of New York Public Service
August 5, 2005
“These comments identify certain environmental concerns that need to be
evaluated and recommend components of further studies that are necessary to
fully characterize and assess the extent of environmental impacts related to
the Project. “
State of New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection
July 8, 2005
“ In conclusion, the activities that are subject of the application to the
ACOE are reasonably likely to affect land and water uses and natural resources
of New Jersey’s coastal zone and thus the activities are subject to the
consistency review requirements of Section 307(c) (3) (A) of the CZMA.”
Town of Babylon
August 3, 2005
“Based upon the aforementioned issues the Town of Babylon requests that the
Corps of Engineers as intended Lead Agency, require the preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to NEPA Title 40.”
Town of Oyster Bay
August 11, 2005
“In light of the forgoing, it is respectfully suggested that the facts in this
case warrant the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.”
Save Jones Beach Ad Hoc
Committee
PO Box 631
Babylon, NY 11702
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: January 11, 2006
SJBAHC Contacts: Walter Arnold 516-221-1770 and
Phil Healey 516-790-4431
LIOWP MISSED CONNECTION
LIPA’s offshore wind cable long on rhetoric and short on disclosure
Babylon, NY: Through documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act
it is clear that LIPA continues to ignore the recommendation of the US Fish &
Wildlife Service to locate the proposed Long Island Offshore Wind Plant power
cable in an already existing utility-right-of-way along the Wantagh Causeway.
LIPA’s current proposal has the LIOWP 138 kilovolt 4.6-mile cable running
offshore to onshore through Jones Beach Island and across the Great South Bay
and making land at Clocks Boulevard after leaving the Narraskatuck River.
In a letter dated July 28, 2004 US F&WS recommended LIPA co-locate its cable
along the Wantagh Causeway with its Neptune cable, which is currently being
installed. The US F&WS repeated its recommendation on August 12, 2005 ‘to
reduce environmental impacts associated with construction and maintenance’.
To date LIPA has dismissed the Wantagh Causeway route citing costs but has
offered no substantive documentation to back up that claim.
