3 things to know about the Propel community meeting

Organizers from Glen Head and Glenwood Landing encouraged around 60 residents from across the North Shore to participate in voicing their opposition to a project focusing on modernizing Long Island’s aging electric transmission system at a community meeting organized by the Glen Head–Glenwood Civics Council Tuesday. Here’s what happened.

1. The Propel Project is awaiting the State Public Service Commission’s Article Seven process, which includes full environmental, engineering, and constructability reviews. In addition to other permits, flyers with QR codes were distributed to audience members throughout the meeting, allowing residents to submit public comments on the state’s Department of Public Service website. In addition, two petitions were circulated at the meeting: one to ban the development of lithium batteries in the Town of Oyster Bay and another opposing the Propel Project.

Organizers argued that the transmission cables would “marry” the community to battery energy storage systems, although the two projects are separate in scope and nature. Audience members were also encouraged to discuss the upcoming project with local businesses. Panzeca added that a rally similar to the one held at American Legion Post 190 on Glen Head Road in Glen Head on June 5 is also being planned. Propel is hosting two online webinars during the week, to which members of the audience are recommended to attend.

2. For over a year, residents on the North Shore have voiced opposition to the Propel NY project, which proposes introducing three new underground electrical transmission connections across Long Island. The $3.2 billion project proposes 89.7 miles of underground transmission lines spanning multiple New York counties. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2026 and is expected to continue for up to four years, with project completion anticipated by mid-2030. Crews are expected to progress between 50 and 150 feet per day.

Christine Panzeca, a Glen Head resident and outspoken critic of the project, underscored the importance of local engagement for these projects. “This is something that needs to be done by your community,” she said. “It’s through community outreach that we are going to be able to protect the health and safety of our community.” Past opposition to the project has included residents speaking out at town board meetings, organizing rallies, and passing fliers to local businesses.

3. The next steps, according to the meeting’s organizers, are calls to legislators. Audience members were given another flyer with the office phone numbers of U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, State Sen. Jack Martins, and Assemblyman Charles Lavine. “State your opposition due to high fire risks, major road disruptions affecting local businesses, children traveling to schools, exiting the area to go to work, affecting emergency calls.” the flyer read. Susan Craig, the director of media relations at the New York Power Authority, pushed back on some of the concerns raised by residents.

“Any sidewalks or streets that are disrupted will be restored and improved,” she said. “We’re going to be notifying people, and we’re going to have an app where you can log in and receive updates. All of that information will be distributed to everyone. So everyone knows, you know, kind of exactly how long we’ll be there, and you know what’s happening in their neighborhood.”