Department will not rehear corridor issue

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has declined a request to rehear critics’ concerns about the establishment of two National Interest Electronic Transmission Corridors. The decision was made on March 6.

The creation of the corridor in the Northeast—which covers Washington, DC, as well as parts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and all of New Jersey—and the denial of the rehearing, could be beneficial to New York Regional Interconnection (NYRI) in its attempt to build a 180-mile power line in New York State.

Because New York lawmakers have passed a law preventing NYRI from using eminent domain to build the power line, the only realistic chance the project has of surviving is if the federal government overrides the state’s authority, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission grants the company eminent domain powers.

Groups and politicians fighting the power line and the corridors may appeal the decision of the DOE on the question of a rehearing, but there are indications that they may instead move the battle to the federal courts.

Grants available for flood mitigation

NEW YORK STATE — New York State, through the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO), will provide $650,000 to local governments for flood mitigation projects with educational and training components that address watershed management.

The grant program will be administered by SEMO. As in past grant rounds, SEMO will notify county executives, county emergency managers and county hazard mitigation coordinators of the program details and deadlines; this information will also be available in notices placed in the New York State Register.

Examples of eligible projects include working with local public works officials and contractors to determine appropriate stream management techniques for their community and identifying local hazards and developing related outreach activities.

Bonacic: Senate will reject ‘car tax’

ALBANY, NY — According to New York State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C - Mount Hope), the senate will reject the Governor’s proposed “car tax” when it advances its budget. The tax proposal raises the Motor Vehicle Insurance fee on every vehicle that is registered in New York from $5 to $20 this year, a 300 percent increase.

The Motor Vehicle Insurance fee is collected annually from insurance policy holders for each insured vehicle. In 2003, the fee was increased from $1 to $5, and is scheduled by law to be reduced to $1 annually beginning on July 1. “Upstate New York drivers represent 44 percent of all drivers statewide,” Bonacic continued, “This is an unfair burden on those living upstate who have no other choice but to own and drive a car.”

Tusten adopts address display law

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Tusten town board, at the meeting on March 10, voted unanimously to adopt a Uniform Premises Identification Law, which requires all buildings and homes in the town to be outfitted with signage that will clearly display the property’s address.

The signs, which are to be placed on the side of the building facing the street for buildings in town, or at the intersection of the building’s driveway and the roadway for properties with long driveways, are to be on blue background panels measuring 16 inches by 18 inches, with white numbers that are at least four inches high.

Existing green signs may be kept provided they are properly situated.

There is no penalty for non-compliance, but building inspector Dave Sparling said compliance is a “no brainer. If you have a heart attack, you want the ambulance to be able to find your house as quickly as possible.”

Bonacic bill would create two-year legislative calendar

ALBANY, NY — Senator John Bonacic and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef are sponsoring legislation that would create continuity between one legislative year and the next. The legislation, S.45141A-6205, would allow bills that have already passed one house to remain in the other house for consideration and action even if they are not acted on in the same year. In addition, it would keep bills that had already passed through a standing committee to continue on the bill calendar and not get sent back to the standing committee. The exception would be if the bill was amended and needed to repeat the legislative process.

“We spend so much time at the beginning of the second session year passing bills that had already been passed, most with wide margins that make it unnecessary to pass them again in January and February.” Galef said.

Bonacic’s Upper Delaware Greenway bill is an example of one that has had to go back to the beginning of the process because of lack of continuity.

Register for PA primary by March 24

PENNSYLVANIA — The deadline for registering to vote or to change party affiliation in the Pennsylvania Presidential primaries is Monday, March 24. An online form for doing so may be found at https://www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us/Pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx. The form cannot be submitted online, but may be printed out to be filled in, signed and mailed to the appropriate county voter registration office.

The Pennsylvania primaries are closed, which means that members of any party can only vote in that party’s primary, and independents are not allowed to vote. However, individuals may change their party affiliation if they do so by March 24.