A state lawmaker attempted to jumpstart a stalled park project in his district last week by proposing to condemn a piece of land controlled by utility company that is standing in the way of the city’s plans to build a 28-acre park on the Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront.
TransGas Energy Systems wants to build a $2-billion power plant on eight acres it owns along the East River between North 12th and North 14th streets — but that land is in the middle of the city’s planned Bushwick Inlet Park.
The city tried to condemn the land in 2005, but a judge ruled that a state panel — officially the Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment —should have a chance to determine whether the TransGas site is suitable for a power plant before the city grabs the land.
Given the state’s role, Assemblyman Joe Lentol (D–Williamsburg) weighed in last week, saying he was tired of waiting for the state’s energy regulation board to decide whether his district will be home to the massive power plant.
Lentol’s bill would take the siting board out of the equation by having the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation seize the land. Once the state controls the land, Lentol said, it will either develop the park itself, or turn it over to the city so the Bloomberg Administration can see its dreams for the Bushwick Inlet Park come true.
“The city made the right decision when it opposed TransGas,” Lentol said. “We are running out of time to make sure that the vision for a beautiful East River park is realized.”
The problem with the judge’s ruling against the city, Lentol says, is that the state could take years to make a decision. Lentol says his constituents want a park now.
“We don’t have time to wait for the bureaucracy to move forward,” Lentol said. “This bill will once and for all end TransGas’ bid for a power plant and put us on our way to construction of the park.”
This is no place for a power plant,” Lentol told The Brooklyn Paper.
But Lentol shouldn’t get to make that decision, said TransGas President Adam Victor.
“That’s the reason we have a siting board in the first place,” Victor said. “The rules are set up so that state energy policy is not controlled by NIMBY interests and local politicians.
“This is not something the legislature should be involved with.”
Community leaders are siding with Lentol.
“Only TransGas and Albany bureaucrats think that a power plant is a good idea here — they’re the only ones refuse to let this terrible idea die,” said Evan Thies, chairman of Community Board 1’s Environment Committee.
“This community, our mayor and all our local leaders agree this land is for a park, and only a park. We are sick and tired of TransGas standing in our way.”
