The Town of Torrey has referred the matter of expanding the Greenidge Power Plant (AKA Bitcoin Mine) to the Yates County Planning Board, which meets TONIGHT, January 28th at 7:00 pm.
This referral is basically an admission by the Town Planning Board that it should have consulted the County Board originally, as required by Law prior to issuing the conditioned negative declaration and issuing the site permit. The Town must start the SEQR review process over and conduct a complete environmental review, including requiring DEC participation and a full Environmental Impact Statement.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1 Submit a Comment to the Planning Board (see talking points below) to Dan Long, Yates County Planner at: dlong@yatescounty.org
2 Call and leave a comment (see talking points below) at: (315) 536-5153
3 Attend the meeting via Zoom*. To receive the email invite, please email emiller@yatescounty.org *Note: it’s not known whether a public comment period is permitted at this meeting.
4 Attend the meeting via phone, please dial 1-929-205-6099 and follow the prompts. (Meeting ID: 834 7533 3083 Passcode: 157216)
TALKING POINTS:
*In your email or call, please request that your comment be entered into this Thursday’s meeting minutes!
The Yates County Planning Board must do everything in its power to ensure that the Town of Torrey starts the SEQR review process over and conducts a complete environmental review, including requiring Department of Environmental Conservation participation and a full Environmental Impact Statement.
The Greenidge expansion plans have potential negative impacts that go far beyond the Town of Torrey or Yates County. The County Planning Board should be urged to carry out its duties as required by law and consider the potential intercommunity and county-wide impacts of local land use changes and add a regional perspective to local land use decisions. The process allows local officials to take advantage of the professional planning expertise at the county level.
Negative Impacts include:
• Increased Harmful Algal Blooms on Seneca Lake
• Harm to aquatic life in the lake
• Increased noise that travels throughout county and across the lake
• Negative impact on tourism and the overall economy of the Finger Lakes
• Reduced property values in Yates County and beyond
• Reduced tax base in Yates County, negatively impacting county services including fire,
police, schools
•Increased greenhouse gas emissions, with no regulation, in the midst of climate crisis
BOTTOM LINE:
Neither the Town of Torrey nor Yates County is adequately equipped to make a determination on the Greenidge expansion without a Full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) overseen by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
This Call of Action is brought to you by Yvonne Taylor of the Seneca Lake Guardian.
