Staying on the line: NYRI developments

· New York State Senator John Bonacic urged U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton to help him force a new member of the Federal Emergency Regulatory Commission (FERC) to recuse himself on matters relating to the NRYI power lines. Bonacic said the new commissioner, Marc Spitzer, had prejudged the matter when he called the matter of approving the project a “no brainer” because New York City needs the electricity. Spitzer took office on Monday.

· Pike County planner Michael Mrozinski will be joining the mostly New York elected officials and residents in the anti-power line group Communities Against Regional Interconnect (CARI). The Pike County Commissioners have asked Mrozinski to keep an eye on pipeline developments, especially the alternate route, which would place the lines along the banks of the Delaware River in Lackawaxen, Shohola and Westfall townships.

· U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert told the Utica Observer-Dispatch that officials from the Department of Energy do not consider the NYRI power line project a high priority. Boehlert told the paper on Friday that officials told him they were more interested in a corridor that would take electricity to New York City through New Jersey.