By:Larry Maier
LIPA needs to "step up to the plate," Glen Cove mayor says
Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi, a Democratic hopeful for Nassau County Executive, held an impromptu news conference in front of Freeport Power Plant No. 2 on Thursday, Aug. 2 and called for the state Department of Environmental Conservation to "clean [the plant] up or shut it down."
Suozzi also challenged the Long Island Power Authority, which is in negotiations with the Village of Freeport, to "step up to the plate" and offer a short-term cure while a long-term remedy is sought.
"We need to get LIPA to provide an interim solution, by providing power to Freeport residents at a rate similar to the cost they are paying now," Suozzi said. The power plant could then be shut down while a more permanent solution, such as converting the plant to a cleaner source of energy than diesel fuel or installing a better emissions cleaning system is considered, Suozzi said.
Area residents have long feared that the diesel exhaust from the 1969 power plant causes cancer and other health problems. The DEC recently revised the plant's Title V permit to include tougher emissions standards and monitoring requirements.
Richard Kessel, chairman of LIPA, said he is glad Suozzi wants to lend assistance with the power plant, but a short-term solution wherein LIPA would provide low-cost energy to Freeport is not likely to be provided. "We can't afford to do that right now," Kessel said. "We can't jeopardize LIPA customers to bail out Freeport."
Given the current heat wave, LIPA is operating at just about full capacity, Kessel said.
Negotiations are continuing in the hope of convincing the Village of Freeport to shut the power plant and develop an alternate, cleaner source of electricity, Kessel said.
Also at the news conference, Suozzi said he was in the process of assembling a group of Merrick and Freeport community leaders, attorneys and environmental experts to seek a "creative solution" to the power plant's problems.
Suozzi said that parties interested in joining the committee should call (516) 671-5408.
