Bear Sterns Move Over, NYRI Investors Want a Federal Bailout Too!

The company that wants to build a 400,000-volt electric line through Upstate New York is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to lock in a huge profit margin for its investors while passing the $2.1 billion cost of the project on to ratepayers.

New York Regional Interconnect, Inc. (NYRI) President Chris Thompson announced their application under the 2005 Federal Energy Policy Act to use ratepayer money to underwrite the cost of the line and lock in his investors' returns at 13.5%!  Ironically, Thompson cites vigorous local citizen opposition as the basis for federal relief for the project, which the application says makes it "unlikely that NYRI will be able to obtain the long-term financing to bring the project to commercial operation.”

Eve Ann Shwartz of STOP NYRI calls the application "a tacit admission that NYRI does not have a plausible business plan," which she said explains why virtually all of New York's elected officials, environmental
groups, and business leaders oppose NYRI.

"If New York really needed what NYRI proposes, politicians, investors, and lenders would be lining up behind it instead of against it."

"STOP NYRI members are appalled that NYRI wants ratepayers to guarantee NYRI's success." said Shwartz.  "NYRI's request to FERC is a blatant attempt to use the federal government to lock in an indecent profit margin for their nervous investors.  If I had money in the project, I would be worried too."

"NYRI's second failed application to the state Public Service Commission, their repeated appeals to the FERC, and now this attempt to use federal powers to force citizens to pay for this flawed project all point to a complete disregard for the New York State review process and for the citizens of New York state," said Shwartz.

STOP NYRI urges citizens of Central New York to contact the FERC, the PSC, and New York State officials to object to NYRI's application to FERC.  

Contact information follows:

DOE
Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585
By Phone:  202-586-1411
By Fax: 202-586-1472
By Email:   OEwebmaster@hq.doe.gov

FERC
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20426
http://www.ferc.gov/contact-us/contact-us.asp

NY PSC
Email Address: Web_Questions@dps.state.ny.us
Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling
Secretary to the Commission
New York State Public Service Commission
Agency Building 3
Albany, NY 12223-1350
Phone:  518-474-6530
Fax:   518-486-6081

The Governor:
David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
http://www.ny.gov/governor/contact/index.html

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo
The Capitol Albany, NY 12224-0341
Phone:  518-474-7330
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/online_forms/email_ag.jsp
Fax: 518-473-9909

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
United States Senate
476 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3203
DC Phone:  202-224-4451
DC Fax:  202-228-0282
http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm?subj=issue
http://clinton.senate.gov/

The Honorable Maurice D. Hinchey
United States House of Representatives
2431 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3222
DC Phone:  202-225-6335
DC Fax:  202-226-0774
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.house.gov/hinchey/

The Honorable Charles Schumer
United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
DC Phone:  202-224-6542
DC Fax:  202-228-3027
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm
http://schumer.senate.gov
< http://schumer.senate.gov/ >

Representative Michael Arcuri (24th dist.)
327 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone:  202-225-3665
Fax:  202-225-1891


Visit www.info.nyri < http://www.info.nyri/ >  for more information.


Submitted by:
Chris Rossi, Co-chair, STOP NYRI
Hubbardsville, NY
315-691-5353

Chris Hoffman
Communications Manager
STOP NYRI
607-674-2611