New York Regional Interconnect
has sued NY state legislators for passing a law that prevents energy companies such
as NYRI from using eminent domain to seize private property.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070911/NEWS01/709110330/1006
Cuomo wants NYRI lawsuit
dismissed
By Nancy Dooling
New York Attorney General
Andrew Cuomo is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit
filed against state
Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo, D-Endwell, and
others by an energy company
that wants to develop a power line through
upstate
New York Regional Interconnect
filed suit earlier this year against
Lupardo as the author of a
new state law that prevents energy companies
such as NYRI from using
eminent domain to seize private property. The
lawsuit also names state
Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mt. Hope, who sponsored
the legislation in the state
Senate.
State lawmakers have fought
NYRI by enacting legislation. Lupado cited
the potential environmental
and economic damage the project would do to
the upstate counties through
which the proposed power line would be
constructed. The project
would supply power only to the
NYRI is claiming it has been
harmed by the state law sponsored by
Lupardo and Bonacic. Cuomo
is expected to argue that NYRI has not been
harmed because its
application is still pending before a federal agency.
Also named in the NYRI
lawsuit is Gov. Eliot Spitzer, former Gov. George
E. Pataki, several state
officials, and other upstate elected officials
including state Sen. Thomas
W. Libous, R-Binghamton.
Lupardo said a court hearing
on the matter has been scheduled for Nov.
11 in
Thomas J. McAvoy. Sens.
Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton,
both D-NY, are also seeking
to restrict the exercise of eminent domain
by energy companies, Lupardo
said. Earlier this month, a similar
amendment sponsored by Rep.
Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, and Rep. Maurice D.
Hinchey, D-Hurley, died in the House of
Representatives.