Orange County, NYC yet to sign off on KJ's water pipeline plan
By Chris Mckenna
imes Herald-Record
In an April 1 conference call with state officials, Kiryas Joel representatives let it be known that no more legal obstacles await their plans for a 13-mile water pipeline, for which they are seeking state financing.
Yes, Orange County sued over the project's environmental review, they acknowledged, but county leaders were satisfied with the revised version of that study "and said they won't challenge this," according to handwritten notes from that call.
But in truth, the possibility of a second county suit hasn't passed. "The county has made no comment to anyone involved in this process," county spokesman Richard Mayfield said. "There is no credibility to this statement. It's just not accurate."
County officials and their attorneys are still scrutinizing Kiryas Joel's amended review and have told no one, even in informal conservations, that they're satisfied with it.
Also, a top engineer with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection — the agency that must approve Kiryas Joel's request to tap the city's Catskill Aqueduct — has sent the village a litany of questions, raising issues about the village's projected growth, the amount of water it would draw, the sufficiency of its backup supply and the width of the proposed transmission pipe.
The engineer, who several years ago asked the village why it wanted a 24-inch-wide pipe when a smaller one would suffice, now wonders why the village has agreed to reduce the diameter to 18 inches without providing any supporting analysis.
"Please be reminded that the pipe size selection is not arbitrary," wrote Paul Aggarwal, section chief of community supplies engineering. "An engineering analysis supporting the desired pipe size for now and the future water demands must be submitted for our review."
Kiryas Joel officials want to start construction in January on what they now estimate to be an almost $30 million project.
Orange County lawmakers have discussed the county's legal position behind closed doors once since Kiryas Joel revised its environmental review and are likely to revisit the issue soon, as a July 31 deadline to file another lawsuit looms.
If anyone in their ranks deemed the amended study "satisfactory," it certainly wasn't Frank Fornario, the Blooming Grove Republican who helped lead opposition to the pipeline and now oversees a committee that would consider further litigation.
"I'm speechless," he said when told about Kiryas Joel's claim in the April 1 conference call.
So, where do we stand with the pipeline?
KJ claims that the County has no objections. A "spokesman" for the County say different. Eddie Diana says nothing.
Will the County go back to court?
How soon do they have to act?
Stay tuned...we'll let you know what's up.
8 comments:
This is where push must come to shove, and Donnery, Fornario, Burke,Queenan, Bohan & Jeroloman must stand united to save Woodbury & South Blooming Grove.
What I want to know is what the hell is SOCA doing about this?
SOCA can't do a damn thing about. They shout and cajole just like anyone else but they have no clout or any decision making authority.
Are you really referring to SOCA or do you mean OCEAN? Two different groups. After the news died down, people around here relaxed and focused on their own private lives. In the absence of a hot button issue, just who provided time and effort to sustain an activist group?.....nobody! Now you ask "What the hell is (an activist group) doing about this?"
Were YOU ever involved in one of those groups? If so, did YOU remain active? Did YOU provide any support? If not, please spare us your righteous indignation. Get out there and do a little organizing yourself!
OCEAN (son of SOCA) is very much still around.
We've been working with Sheila Conroy, Lorraine McNeil, Robert Fromaget and others to identify and document the problems with the Amended FEIS submitted for the Pipeline and we will be going to the County Legislature this week to ask them to act on our findings.
At that point we will need help from everyone to lobby the Legislature.
I'll send updates to the Uncle, so please keep an eye on this site.
Thanks.
TRUST SWILLER? BETTER PUT A STEEL PLATE ON YOU BACK. HE STILL TRIES TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK HE IS AGAINST KJ. WATCH HIM WATCH HIM WATCH HIM!!!!!!!!
and what proof do you have that swiller is not against kj? your gut feeling is not enough. you don't have to like the man, but give him credit for doing something instead of just complaining and blogging.
Plant the seed of doubt and watch it grow!!!!
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