Mid Hudson Times Sept. 26 2018 | Page 4

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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , September 26 , 2018

Town adopts resolution on emissions

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ( NYS DEC ) has stated that it intends to revise its regulations on oil and air emissions within the state . In response , the Newburgh Town Council passed a resolution at their September 10 meeting specifically requesting the NYS DEC adapt regulations that would address natural gas infrastructure facilities .

Newburgh has been one of many towns to be potentially impacted by new natural gas infrastructures such as the Pilgrim Pipeline project and Danskammer Power Plant project . The owner of the Danskammer Power Plant , located on the Hudson River in the town of Newburgh , is looking to replace the current part-time plant with a fulltime facility run on natural gas . The new facility is still in the design stages .

Local activist group Orange Residents Against Pilgrim Pipelines ( RAPP ) has opposed these new projects , citing the potential for emissions to affect the safety and health of local residents , businesses and institutions in the area . They fear not only the pollution of local air , but also the risk of potential leaks from pipelines that supply the fracked gas . Orange RAPP is hosting a meeting on Wednesday , Oct . 3 at Newburgh Town Hall at 7:30 p . m . with Attorney Michael Sussman as the scheduled speaker .

The town ’ s recent resolution was made in response to these concerns from Orange RAPP and other local citizens . In the resolution , the town asked that the NYS DEC address :

• Use of best management practices and protocols for gas infrastructure facilities to ensure the protection of public health , safety , and the environment ;

• Installation and use of readily available technology to lower emission rates at all gas infrastructure facilities ;

• Non-combustion and currently exempt emission sources ;

• Installation and use of specific emission control technology ;

• Implementation of best practices to reduce natural gas leakage and blowdowns ;

• Installation and use of air monitoring , and making such data readily available to the public ;

• Onsite verification of compliance with regulatory requirements and permit conditions ;

• Inspection by NYS DEC or independent registered personnel at regular intervals with reports submitted to the NYS DEC and made available to the public to detect and ensure timely elimination of natural gas leaks at gas infrastructure facilities using comprehensive detection methods and remote sensing along pipelines ;

• Advanced notification regarding all planned compressor station blowdowns and other chemical releases , and notification within 30 minutes of all unplanned blowdown ;

• Timely replacement and retrofit of technology as well as update of site practices at existing gas infrastructure facilities ; and ,

• Chain of custody records and tracking for all industrial waste removed from gas infrastructure facilities .

Peekskill man wanted for Newburgh rape arrested after chase

The Peekskill man wanted for a sexual assault on a woman at the Foundry condo complex in the City of Newburgh was arrested last Tuesday at St . Vincent Hospital in Westchester County .

State Police BCI and City of Newburgh detectives arrested Andre Sims , 35 , and charged him with firstdegree rape . The gun he had at the time of the attack late Monday night was not located .

Newburgh Police were called to the Foundry at 10:20 p . m . after they received a call about a woman running around naked inside the housing complex .

She told police the assailant had fled in an SUV , which was spotted on Broadway near Liberty Street . Sims ignored commands to get out and sped away into the Town of Newburgh where he crashed into a building at Powell Avenue and North Street . He continued to drive , evading police until his arrest in Westchester County .

In Brief

Despite route cancellation , it ’ s a banner year at Stewart

It ’ s been a banner year so for Stewart International Airport ’ s passenger volume , promising even better numbers as the airport gets ready for an airport inspection station later this year . The inspection station will mean international revelers can skip New York city airports ’ traffic congestion and fly out of Stewart for an as yet limited menu of overseas destinations on what is now the airport ’ s key carrier , Norwegian Air .

Torelli told members of the oversight Stewart Airport Commission Tuesday at the commission ’ s monthly airport meeting Tuesday that year to date passenger totals for 2018 at 452,959 , exceeded the 259,350 for the entire year in 2017 .

For May alone , said Torelli , “ passenger levels totaled 60,834 , a 106 percent jump , and June saw 64,649 passengers , a 104 percent boost over last June .

A big draw , said Torcelli to members of the commission , is Norwegian ’ s popular Ireland destinations .

Norwegian Airline is increasing service to Shannon airport in Ireland . The airline is also , however , ending all U . S . flights to Edinburgh next March because of a continued Scottish tariff making the service unprofitable .

The big deal for the airport is the completion of the underway federal inspection station that airport officials expect will boost Stewart as a viable alternative to the congested New York City and New Jersey airports .

Also , Torelli said , “ May cargo levels came to 1,950 tons ,” an 12 percent upswing in that constantly airport growing business .

A testament to Stewart ’ s popularity was a Qatar jumbo jet parked at the airport while officials of that country are at the United Nations general assembly in New York City .

- Wayne Hall

3 crumbling properties

The City of Newburgh will be footing the bill for the demolition of three crumbling properties 109 Chambers Street , 302 Grand Street and 49 Dubois Street . The three buildings are anticipated to cost $ 146,860 from the city ’ s contingency fund . A fund that has taken a large hit recently with various emergency projects in the city .

The 3 properties have been left vacant and unattended thus causing the infrastructures to fail . The city has pursued a case at the supreme court to track down the property owner for 302 Grand Street but was unsuccessful .

“ The property owner has not responded to any activities taken by the city to get him to be responsible ,” said Michelle Kelson , City of Newburgh Corporation Counsel . “ He has not responded to code violations , he has not appeared in court , he has not been tracked down via warrant . At the end of the day the city has to do [ this ] at city expense .”

- Katelyn Cordero