Application of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Pursuant to Article Vll of the Public Service Law for the A and C Line Rebuild Project, Approximately 10.85 miles of 115 Kilovolt Transmission Lines in the Towns of Pleasant Valley, LaGrange, Wappinger and East Fishkill, Dutchess County.

PSC Seeking Public Comments
The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) held two public statement hearings regarding the application of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (Central Hudson) to rebuild approximately 10.85 miles of 115 kilovolt (kV) electric transmission line from the Pleasant Valley Substation in Pleasant Valley to the Fishkill Plains Substation in East Fishkill, Dutchess County, as described below. Each public statement hearing was preceded by an informal open house. 

In the hour prior to each public statement hearing, maps of the proposed route were on display and Central Hudson representatives were available to answer questions about the transmission line application.  The New York State Department of Public Service Staff (DPS Staff) was also be available to answer questions regarding the Article VII process. The public wasinvited to stop in at any time during the hour to review information and ask questions.

Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Commission at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this fact sheet.

Public Statement Hearings were held on May 1, 2014 at the LaGrange Town Hall in Lagranveville, NY.  Transcripts of the public statement hearings and all other comments received by the Commission will become part of the record and will be posted for public viewing on the Commission’s website, at www.dps.ny.gov.

Proposed Facility Location
Central Hudson proposes to rebuild the existing 115 kV A and C transmission line located between Pleasant Valley and East Fishkill in Dutchess County, New York. The rebuild will occur within an existing 150 foot wide right-of-way (ROW), and spans approximately 10.85 miles through four towns; Pleasant Valley, LaGrange, Wappinger, and East Fishkill. The proposed plan is to remove and replace the majority of structures and conductor along the existing segment of the A and C lines.

New York State Certification Review Process for Major Electric Transmission Lines
PSL Article VII establishes the review process for consideration of any application to construct and operate an electric transmission line with a design capacity of 100 kilovolts or more, extending for at least ten miles.  The Commission received this application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need from Central Hudson on October 11, 2013, which was supplemented on January 13, 2014.

The public statement hearings identified in this fact sheet are being held to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on the Project.

The PSC must decide whether to grant or deny the application, and must make findings regarding:
o The basis of need for the facility;
o The nature of probable environmental impacts, and whether impacts will be minimized;
o What part, if any, of the line shall be constructed underground and whether the project conforms with plans for electric grid expansion;
o Whether the Project conforms with local laws and regulations, or the need for waiver of those laws and regulations; and
o Whether the Project serves the public interest, convenience and necessity.

How to Obtain Information
To review the PSL Article VII application documents and other materials pertaining to this case, including a description of the probable environmental impact of the proposed Facility, can be found on the Commission’s website.

Ways to Participate in the Article VII Process
Article VII provides opportunities for individual and group stakeholders to take part in the formal review of the application.  There are several ways to participate in the Article VII process as described below.  To save time and manage all of your service and party list subscriptions easily, you may become a registered user of the NYS Public Service Commission’s Document and Matter Management (DMM) System, by clicking on this link: http://www.dps.ny.gov/DMM_Registration.html.  Once registered, you can electronically submit requests to be added to the service or party list for a case.

•Party Status: Becoming a party to a case enables an individual or group to contribute to the development of a complete record by conducting discovery, submitting testimony, briefs, or other formal written comments, and participating in evidentiary hearings, procedural conferences and other formal events conducted in the case.

When you submit the request for party status on-line (through DMM), you will be provisionally added to the party list, subject to the right of other parties to object and subject to the determination of the Administrative Law Judge.  You will be required to mail your request to anyone on the party list who cannot receive e-mail service.  If you do not wish to register online through the Commission’s DMM System, you can download the “Request for Party Status Form” (http://tinyurl.com/PSCParticipateForms) and follow the filing instructions on the form. If you do not have access to a computer, you can call or write to Administrative Law Judge, NYS Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350, 518-474-4520, to request that a form be mailed to you.  Please refer to Case 13-T-0469.

•Service List: Interested persons who wish to monitor the proceedings of a particular case can do so without the formal commitment to become a party to the proceeding.  The persons who subscribe to the service list of a case will receive an e-mail with a direct link to the documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulings.  Persons unable or unwilling to receive such electronic notification will receive hard copies of Commission-issued documents by regular mail.

If you do not wish to register on the NYS Public Service Commission’s DMM System, you may download the “Service List and Mail Service List Request Form” (http://tinyurl.com/PSCParticipateForms) and send the completed form by e-mail to Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary at [email protected].  If you are unable to e-mail the form to the Secretary, you may mail your request to: Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350.

•Web Monitoring: Interested persons who choose not to sign up to receive e-mail notifications can view our website at their convenience to check on the status of a case.  All documents filed by parties, correspondence, hearing transcripts, and documents issued by the Commission in a given case are posted on the website for that case.  In addition, all comments submitted by the public are posted under the ‘public comments’ tab for the case.

Other Methods for Commenting on the Case
•Via the Internet or In Writing:  Public comments may be submitted electronically to Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, at [email protected], or by mail or delivery to, Secretary Burgess at the Department of Public Service, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.  Comments may also be entered directly at the Commission’s webpage.  Many libraries offer free internet service.

•Toll-Free Opinion Line:  Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s toll-free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24-hours a day.  These calls are not transcribed but a summary is provided to the administrative law judges who will report to the Commission and will be posted for public viewing on the Commission’s website, at www.dps.ny.gov.  Callers should press “1” and select the choice for electric to leave comments about “Case 13-T-0469 – Application of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation.”

Click here for a copy of the fact sheet.