Rally supports gas storage project

READING (8/24/16)--More than 70 people attended a rally inside the gates of the Crestwood gas storage facility along Route 14 north of Watkins Glen Thursday, Aug. 18. The rally was to show support for the storage of propane in salt caverns by Seneca Lake and was attended by community members representing local residents, businesses, elected officials and labor unions. This comes a week after Crestwood modified its plan to reduce the scale of the project by eliminating truck and rail transportation of propane, along with eliminating the storage of butane. The rally speakers also urged the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue the necessary permits for the project to move forward.
"We are here today to show there is another side to this, that there are positive people who want to have propane, who want to see the facility go, who want to earn some money and who want to pay for their families," said Schuyler County Legislator Phil Barnes -- who represents the towns of Reading and Dix.
Representatives from area labor unions also voiced their support for the project, highlighting the importance of the jobs the facility will bring if approved.
"We appreciate Crestwood's commitment to the local construction trades, and our message to Albany is simple: Approve Crestwood's application so we can go to work," said David Marsh of Laborers Local 785. "[...] We support the Finger Lakes propane storage facility because it creates jobs. [...] They will deliver those jobs by both the construction jobs on this project and will create long-term jobs to operate the facility."
Marsh said he is a lifelong resident of Schuyler County and a consumer of propane for his home. He said he welcomes the additional supply of 1.5 million barrels of propane the facility will hold, adding propane is the heating choice for many in rural upstate New York when natural gas is not available. Marsh said Crestwood is not seeking any tax incentives.
"Private investment without tax incentives is the way it should be done, and Crestwood is doing just that," Marsh said. "They are going to pay their full share of taxes."
Barnes also said there has been gas storage in Schuyler County since 1964. Barnes criticized the state of New York for not hiring a geologist, which he said is holding up the project, along with a judge who said he would be making a ruling on the project by last July with no result. The legislator also spoke against those who have been protesting the project at the gates where the rally was held.
"One of my biggest frustrations is what this anti-[gas storage] attitude is costing the Schuyler County and town of Reading taxpayers," Barnes said. "[...] Then we get to the situation where we have people coming here who are intentionally coming, there are not a lot of Schuyler County residents, the majority of them are coming from the Ithaca area. The majority come over here to intentionally get arrested, which then ties up the emergency services of the sheriff's department and state police who have to come up here and deal with the protestors."
Barnes said it costs $85 a day to house someone at the jail, noting it gets even more expensive when cases go to trial. He said they will begin next month and are likely to go on for the next several years the way the cases are backlogged. Barnes said the most the protestors can get is a $250 fine plus court fees, while adding it costs more than that just to have the court reporter be at each of those trials. He claimed it puts a burden on local law enforcement, and said area fire departments are adequately prepared to handle any emergencies at the site.
"That is going to be a tax burden on the town of Reading," Barnes said.
The legislator added while the U.S. Salt company -- a subsidiary of Crestwood -- is likely not going to shut down if the plan is rejected, it is important to take care of the county's largest employer and taxpayer.
U.S. Salt employee David Crea said they have been trying to get the project approved for nearly eight years, adding they have pipes that have been fabricated and ready to go sitting idle at the site for the past six years. He said early on they thought the project would move along quickly and that they did not expect it to be held up for so long.
"It's not just that stuff," Crea said. "There are warehouses full of instruments and valves. The paperwork effort, the lawyers it takes to deal with the agencies, the millions just keep adding up. Crestwood has an awful lot invested just to get to here."