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News, community events and sports photos from: Dundee, Penn Yan, Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour and Hammondsport can be found and purchased from our photo partner SmugMug. Just follow the directions and your prints will arrive in a few days. If you don't see the photo you want and you know it was published in one of our newspapers just email us: theobserver@citlink.net and tell us what the photo was about and when it was published. If we can get the photo for you we will. |
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DEC report: U.S. Salt had two brine spills
READING—There have been two brine water spills at the U.S. Salt facility in Reading this summer. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation spill reports, 15,000 gallons of brine water escaped from pipes on Aug. 6 and another 1,754 gallons on July 14. Read More ...
David Austen |
Lake group: Inergy report is incomplete
READING—A quantitative risk analysis by an Oklahoma firm says Inergy Midstream’s proposed liquid gas storage and transfer station in Reading is no more dangerous than other, similar facilities. Inergy wants to build a $40 million facility in Reading, on the west side of Seneca Lake. The project is being reviewed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The QRA was done in February by Quest Consultants Inc. However, Inergy wanted the DEC to keep the analysis confidential. The state disagreed, saying it should be public. The 66-page QRA concludes that “the hazards and risk associated with the Finger Lakes LPG facility are similar to those from LPG storage, transport and processing facilities worldwide.” It adds the risks are “not unusual for industrial activities handling flammable materials.” Seneca Lake Pure Waters wrote a letter to the DEC in response to the QRA. The group said that the document makes no mention of the brine storage ponds or potential environmental risks to the lake and wetlands in case of a brine pond failure. SLPWA adds that the assessment does not consider the fact these underground salt caverns are directly adjacent to Seneca Lake. The group said the unique factors of this project should be addressed. Read More ...
Staff Report |
Resident spots black bear in Reading
READING—A Reading Center resident got a surprising wake-up call this past Monday morning. Steve Hayes, a longtime resident of Reading Center on Altay Road, said he woke up Monday, May 21, around 2:20 a.m. by the sounds of something outside his home. He said he thought it was raccoons again. However, upon looking outside, Hayes said he saw a black bear. He estimated it must have weighed around 100 pounds. Before the creature wandered off Hayes managed to take some photos of it. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the black bear is New York’s second largest land mammal. An average adult male weighs about 300 pounds while females average about 170 pounds. DEC Region 8 Wildlife Manager Mike Wasilco said black bear sightings in Schuyler County are not uncommon. However, Wasilco explained this is the start of the breeding season for black bears. He said adult females will be driving off cubs to make them find new territory. Read More ...
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Reed: Inergy study should be released
READING—Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) held a public meeting at the Reading town hall on Saturday, April 22. Some 20 people attended. Reading is also the location of a proposed $40 million liquid gas storage and transfer facility by Inergy. When asked if Inergy’s quantitative risk analysis (QRA) of the project should be kept confidential, Reed said he supported transparency. He said that unless the QRA contained compelling security issues, it should be available to the public. Inergy filled the QRA with the New York State Department of Public Transportation in early March. The state replied on March 20 with a letter saying the QRA should not be confidential. Inergy replied the document contains confidential commercial information and/or critical infrastructure data. However, David Bimber, DEC regional permit administrator, said that on April 20, the Freedom of Information Law appeals officer also backed the DEC’s decision on the QRA. Bimber said if Inergy wants to contest the ruling again, the company has 15 business days to take the DEC to court under Article 78. Read More ...
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Application lacks detail for Inergy project
READING—Inergy LLC’s permit application to construct a $40 million liquid petroleum gas storage and transfer facility is incomplete for a second time, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In the letter dated April 2, the DEC said Inergy still needs to provide documents from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, new engineering reports, explanation of project descriptions, and an update of the facility’s storm-water pollution prevention plan. New information was needed because Inergy made changes to the proposed project. The first notice of incomplete was from March 5, 2012. One adjustment is constructing two brine ponds, instead of the original one pond. The brine will be used to push gas out of the underground storage areas. The DEC said they need engineering design reports and drawings for the new brine ponds. In addition, because the total volume of the proposed brine ponds is significantly less than the volume of product storage, further operational details are needed so the state can evaluate how the ponds will interact with the existing U.S. Salt facility. The DEC explained they also need to see if U.S. Salt’s permit will need to be modified. The state also wanted to know how changes would impact the facility’s storm-water pollution prevention plan. Read More ...
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