WAWAYANDA, NY — Riverkeeper has joined the growing list of organizations and officials calling from the state to suspend or revoke permits related to air quality for the Corporate Power Vetures (CPV) power plant in Orange County. A petition was presented to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

A press release from RiverKeeper says, “The petition is based on the information obtained during last month’s trial and conviction of Joseph Percoco, a former top aide to New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Percoco was charged with taking $287,000 in bribes—in the form of a ‘low-show’ job for his wife—from CPV officials to help the plant get certain state approvals for CPV.”

Paul Gallay, the president of Riverkeeper, has said in the past that the group may challenge whether regulators correctly considered the impact of the 650 megawatt plant on the climate before granting the permits.

“CPV has shown itself willing to subvert state processes,” said Richard Webster, Riverkeeper’s legal program director. “We therefore believe CPV is not a suitable entity to hold permits in the state of New York.”

The petition was also signed by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, and state Assembly members James Skoufis and Aileen Gunther. The release says, “The filing is pursuant to an administrative process allowing interested parties to seek a state determination on the suitability of CPV to hold state permits. It is the DEC Commissioner, Basil Seggos, who must make such a determination.

“We are very pleased that there is now a bipartisan effort to shut down the CPV power plant, which we have long asserted was built on bribes and lies. We hope that the DEC takes the only action possible to restore public faith in the regulatory process and the Cuomo administration by rescinding the permits,” said Pramilla Malick, Protect Orange County’s chair.

The move came a week after the Orange County Legislature voted to approved a resolution to ask Gov. Cuomo to amend state law to provide that projects involving corrupt acts be blocked from benefitting from that corruption.