Public
Meetings
2008 Empire Pipeline Public Meeting Schedule
Spring 2008 Construction Area Meetings
September 2007 Community Meeting for 2007 Construction Commencement
November 2006 Farmer
Meeting
Compressor
Station Public Meeting
September
2004 Public Meeting
Importance of the public's
input
2008 Empire Pipeline Public Meeting Schedule
DATE
& TIME |
MEETING
LOCATION |
ADDRESS |
Tuesday,
April 8
7 pm |
Watkins Glen Community Center |
156 South Clute Park Dr.
Watkins Glen, NY 14891 |
Thursday,
April 10
7 pm |
The Inn on the Lake, Canandaigua |
770 South Main Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424 |
Tuesday,
April 15
7
pm |
Victor Central School District Office – VEC Auditorium |
953 High St.
Victor, NY 14564 |
|
Spring 2008 Construction Area Meetings
(Click Here to view presentation)
In April 2008, Empire Connector officials held meetings in Watkins Glen, Canandaigua and Victor for landowners and community members. The meetings provided an overview of the construction process in anticipation of Phase Two of the pipeline construction. Construction on this phase will begin at the south end of the 2007 construction area to Corning. Crews will then move to the north end of the Keuka Outlet and proceed north from there to Victor. In all, approximately 20 people attended the three meetings. After a presentation outlining the construction process, the Empire Connector project team answered questions. Meeting attendees were also introduced to Joe Gezik, the project’s ombudsmen. The meeting presentation and handouts are available for download here.
Construction Kick-Off Meeting for Yates and Schuyler Counties: September 2007 (Click
here to view presentation)
On September 11, 2007, Empire Pipeline conducted a construction kick-off meeting for those landowners who live within region identified for pipeline construction in 2007. Empire plans to construct approximately 20 to 25 miles of the pipeline in 2007. Approximately 45 people attended the meeting, where, after a brief presentation, members of the project team were on hand to answer questions and provide a detailed overview of the construction process and what to expect during construction. It was also announced that we have engaged a local firm, Otis Eastern Service, Incorporated, as the pipeline construction contractor. The area identified for pipeline construction is in Yates and Schuyler Counties, beginning just north of the Keuka Outlet, and concluding at County Road 16, just east of its intersection with Townsend Road. All of the construction planned for this year is expected to conclude by early December. The meeting presentation and handouts are available to download here.
Farming
Community Meeting (Click
here to view presentation)
On
November 29, 2006, Empire Pipeline held a meeting
specifically for farmers so they could learn more
about monitoring, inspection and mitigation techniques
related to the Empire Connector Project. Fifty
members of the farming community attended the
meeting, which was held in conjunction with the
New York Farm Bureau. After a presentation, meeting
participants were able to ask questions and talk
individually with Empire team members. Detailed
drawings of the mitigation techniques were on
hand for viewing and explanation. Copies of the
complete Erosion and Sediment Control & Agricultural
Mitigation Plan (ESCAMP) were also available.
The ESCAMP discusses best practices that were
covered at the meeting and must be adhered to
by the Empire project team as a condition of its
FERC certificate. The meeting presentation, handouts
and ESCAMP are available to download.
Compressor
Station Public Meeting (click
here to view presentation)
On
December 15, 2004, Empire conducted an Open House
in the Oakfield area to answer questions and offer
information on the proposed Compressor Station
that is part of the pipeline project. The meeting
was attended by 25 persons who have an interest
in the project. Empire project team members were
on hand to answer questions and guests were invited
to view renderings of the proposed Compressor
Station and ask questions about the facility.
For more information on the Compressor Station,
please click here.
September
2004 Public Meetings were held:
|
DATE
& TIME |
MEETING
LOCATION |
ADDRESS |
Thursday,
Sept 9
7 pm | Radisson Hotel Ballroom |
125
Denison Parkway East
Corning, NY 14830
|
|
Monday,
Sept 13
7
pm | NYS
Academy of Fire Science |
600
College Avenue
Montour Falls, NY 14865 |
Tuesday,
Sept 14
7
pm | Dundee
American Legion |
10
Spring Street
Dundee, NY 14837 |
Wednesday,
Sept 15
7
pm | Yates
County Complex |
417
Liberty Street
Penn Yan, NY 14527 |
Thursday,
Sept 16
7
pm | Marcus
Whitman High School Auditorium |
4100
Baldwin Road
Rushville, NY 14544 |
Monday,
Sept 20
7
pm | Canandaigua
Primary School Auditorium |
96
West Gibson
Canandaigua, NY 14424 |
Tuesday,
Sept 21
7
pm | Victor
Central School District Office -
VEC Auditorium |
953
High Street
Victor, NY 14564 |
|
September
2004 Meeting Agenda
|
TIME |
ACTIVITY |
7:00
pm | Refreshments-
Empire Connector representatives will be
available to answer questions |
|
7:30
pm | Formal
Presentation - Click
here to view presentation |
| 8:00
pm | Adjourn
to information tables- Empire Connector
representatives will be available to answer
questions |
| 9:00
pm | Approximate
time meeting concludes |
September
2004 Meetings (click
here to view presentation)
The
open houses for the Empire Connector Project concluded
in September and were a great success. More than
300 people attended the meetings, which were held
from Corning to Victor. We appreciated the opportunity
to speak with property owners and community members
about our proposed project and enjoyed talking
one-on-one with those who had questions.
Follow-up
Activities
In
an effort to fully answer questions raised at
the open houses, we developed a comprehensive
list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and
responses to those questions. The complete list
of FAQs, which covers general concerns, construction,
safety, agriculture and other issues, is now available.
If you would like a copy of the complete list
of FAQs mailed to you, please feel free to request
them by calling our toll-free information number,
1-866-202-9849, or request them
online by clicking
here.
Importance
of the public's input
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) supports a new review process that builds public communication into the beginning of the approval process – before a formal application is filed – so interested parties may participate more fully in the route selection process. The Empire Connector Project is one of the first projects in the nation to participate in this process.
The Empire Connector Project committed to extensive public outreach in advance of submitting our application to the FERC. Our goals are to:
(1)
Generate a broad awareness of the project, its purposes and value to the region’s economy and to meeting the future energy needs of the state and region.
(2) Ensure that community residents and a broad range of stakeholders have ample opportunity to understand the process and their rights, ask questions, voice concerns and present ideas about the project. (3) Create an atmosphere of openness, disclosure and public dialogue in which we can respond to questions, concerns and suggestions presented by the community and other stakeholders.
Our
public outreach tools include:
- Direct
correspondence with property owners along
the possible routes
- Contact
with the local news media
- Establishment
of a toll-free information phone number,
1-866-202-9849
- Contact
with community leaders, public officials
and other stakeholders
- Creation
of materials explaining the project
- Enhancing
access to information about property
owners’ rights and the regulatory
review/approval process.
|
