Shulman And Sopranos Star Protest LIC Generator Plans

Bracco was joined by close to 400 residents, some of them waving signs saying "Pataki dumps more dirty power plants on our Queens neighborhood" and "Take the power to the peopleManhattan," who have been fighting this proposal from its inception two months ago. They cheered wildly for the support of Bracco and Shulman.
"There are potential negative environmental impacts of two gas-powered generators with a combined output of 79.9 megawatts," said Shulman of the pollution factor that might increase the high asthma rates that already exist in Northwestern Queens.
But Shulman seemed more concerned to address the issue that the generator might hinder plans to develop the Long Island City waterfront.
"To literally jam a power plant, however clean, into such an area is simply unfair," said Shulman of the generators threatening to cause setbacks to an area currently undergoing a renaissance.
The NYPA, which currently operates three power plants in the Astoria and Long IslandCity community is planning to install five more in the immediate area. Due to a bill that was put into law last year, the Department of Environmental Conservation can allow plants to be placed anywhere in the state, without the approval of the local community.
For more than a decade, the Astoria and Long Island City communities have been promised a renovation of their area, with a large-scale commercial area, an arts community similar to SoHo, affordable housing and a beautiful waterfront area overlooking the Manhattan cityscape and the Queensborough Bridge. If the new plants are built in this area, it is feared by many residents in the community that the plants pollution levels will cause the real estate values to plummet and possibly drive away potential investors.
NYPAs justification for the existence of these new power plants is to prevent the brownouts that have been occurring these past few summers in the city due to electricity overconsumption. The two newest plants, which they assure will only be in operation on a temporary basis, only produce a combined 79.9 megawatts of energy, 00.1 megawatts less than the legal limit for energy production without careful scrutiny otherwise required by state law..
A Keyspan official, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the generators are going to inflict less pollution and will cost less to produce. He said that the generators which currently operate in the area are older and less efficient than the new generators they are planning to build.
"If we run with the current plants in Long Island City," said the Keyspan engineer, "the asthma rates in the area might continue to increase. But if we build more efficient generators and shu down the ones currently operating, pollution in the area will decrease and cost of running it will decrease as well."
But residents and politicians urge the NYPA to suggest a different location than the waterfront, claiming that Long Island City is not the only place that has room for generators.
"There are numerous other locations where the NYPA can build these things," said Justin Boyer, a Long Island City resident. "If they just build it somewhere else, there would be no conflict."
Congressman Joseph Crowley, a supporter of the Urban Asthma Reduction Act, says he understands the need for power plants in New York City but doesnt feel the NYPA is being sensitive to the community residents concerns.
"I am not opposed to the construction of new, efficient and enviromentally frienly power plants, provided that we close older, polluting facilities throughout Queens County," said Congressman Crowley. "However, the proposed NYPA plans for Long Island City ignore the concerns of community residents, threaten future neighborhood development and could pose new environmental problems for our community. Our voices must be heard."