The plan to build a nuclear power plant in Shoreham failed long ago, yet Long Island Power Authority ratepayers are still paying off the gigantic $6 billion debt the project racked up. But wouldn’t you feel better if you knew something was going to be done with the site?
LIPA today announced that an advisory committee stacked with energy, government, civic and school district big-wigs that will come up with ideas for the site met for the first time.
Here’s the roster of the Shoreham Advisory Committee, which was created in April:
* Kevin S. Law, President and CEO, Long Island Power Authority
* United States Congressman Timothy Bishop
* New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle
* New York State Assemblyman Marc S. Alessi
* Town Of Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley
* Town Of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner
* Suffolk County Legislator Edward P. Romaine
* Thomas A. Isles, AICP, Director, Suffolk County Planning Department
* Sid Bail, President, Wading River Civic Association
* Kevin Ward, President, Shoreham Civic Association
* Harriet Copel, Ed. D., Superintendent, Shoreham-Wading River Central S.D.
* Mike Fucito, President, Board of Ed., Shoreham-Wading River Central S.D.
* Dr. Matthew C. Cordaro, Professor, C.W. Post College, LIU
LIPA didn’t release any ideas for the site, but check out the excitement from the panel:
“This advisory panel is an important component of our study,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. “I look forward to an open and transparent dialogue with our government and civic leaders that will help depict the best way for the property to be utilized.”
The advisory committee will provide suggestions and feedback on what to do with the 58 acres of LIPA-owned land which includes the 10-acre parcel upon which the plant’s shell sits, while paying close attention to how it will impact the environment, taxes, and overall quality of life.
“I appreciate LIPA’s efforts to ensure transparency in the initial stages of planning for this site and am pleased to be a member of the advisory panel,” said Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. “The future use of this property will have an impact on the community. Therefore, it is important that the residents and local governments have input into the recommendations for its use.”
“The old power plant property offers great potential to the community and I am confident in moving forward the best public interest will be served,” said Assemblyman Marc Alessi. “LIPA, under the new leadership of Kevin Law, is taking the right step to addressing this land use situation through community involvement. I am hopeful we can come up with a plan to make this property productive and help reduce the property tax burden for the surrounding community.”
“I commend Kevin Law for developing a use for this property and for his willingness to gather input from elected officials and other community stakeholders,” said advisory panel member and Suffolk County Legislator Edward P. Romaine. “Community involvement is essential to the decision-making process, as any plans for this site will have a profound impact on local residents.”
Shoreham-New Haven Bridge
A study once concluded that a Shoreham-New Haven Bridge, would not generate significant noise or air pollution and would cause the least disruption to communities among any other location.
Imagine also if William Floyd parkway was to be extended so a bridge to Connecticut could be built, and in return the un-siting of the Shoreham Power Plant was possible.
The bridge would require the taking of only 25.9 acres of wetlands.
So if the biggest obstacle to a bridge is the environment, then let’s give the environment back something somewhere else. Let’s compromise.
* How about a bridge in return for doubling protected Pine Barren lands?
* A bridge in return for the clean-up of all of Long Island’s brown-fields?
Creative compromising will get it done.
For the long term economic interests of Long Island residents, a Shoreham-New Haven Bridge would pump new life into an island that is slowly sinking into an abyss.
A shoreham-New Haven Bridge would bring
* new industry
* new employment
* new investment
* new markets for farming
* competitive housing markets
It makes sense to invest in the future. We just need someone to lead the way.
I love the idea of a Shoreham-New Haven bridge. I have for years. This would be the perfect location for it. Not only would it make getting off LI easier (especially in the case of an evacuation), but think of commuting to CT for work or, for that matter, CT commuting here or businesses commuting here. At this stage, we still need to protect our environment, which can be done in this case, but we still need to progress. LI has not seen ANY progression of this type in 50 years. We need it — let’s get something like this done!