Lentol, Community Members Push State Law to End Power Plant Plan for Brooklyn Waterfront, Start Construction of Bushwick Inlet Park

Law would allow for City to take stop power plant in Williamsburg, build 28-acre park

November 29, 2007

Fed up with years of fighting the construction of a power plant on the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront, Assemblyman Joe Lentol and community leaders announced today state legislation to force TransGas Energy from their neighborhood so that a beautiful, 28-acre park can begin construction.

The legislation, sponsored by Lentol, would cut through red tape TransGas has masterfully wrapped around its unpopular bid for a 1,000 megawatt power plant, and force the property to be given to the City so that the Bushwick Inlet Park can be built.

“The City made the right decision when it opposed TransGas," said Assemblyman Lentol. "We are running out of time to make sure that the vision for a beautiful East River park in Greenpoint-Williamsburg is realized before the Bloomberg Administration comes to an end. We don’t have time to wait for the bureaucracy to move forward. 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. Waterfront space is much too important an asset to risk losing."

“This legislation will cut through the red tape and force TransGas to give up its quixotic quest to build a power plant on our parkland,” said Evan Thies, Chair of Community Board 1’s Environment Committee. “Only TransGas and Albany bureaucrats seem to think that a power plant is a good idea here – only they refuse to let this terrible idea die. This community, our mayor and all of 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.”

"The expansion open space in North Brooklyn has been a clear and unwavering goal of elected officials and community members for years,” added Councilman David Yassky. “Both of these parties have also spent considerable time fighting for a cleaner environment and breathable air in our neighborhoods. Combine these objectives, and we get a clear message: No TransGas in Greenpoint and Williamsburg!"

TransGas proposed its plant in 2002 on an eight-acre site between North 12th and North 14th streets, hoping to build it on an old oil tank farm on the East River in Brooklyn. Hearing examiners at the little-known New York Siting Board, charged with determining whether or not the plant could be built, recommended rejecting the plant. However despite their staff’s recommendation members of the board have not yet ruled on the proposal, keeping the future of the waterfront site in limbo.

The City rezoned the TransGas property to be parkland as part of the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning and have sought to acquire the site through eminent domain since. This Fall the City acquired two nearby properties through eminent domain in order to build the park, but the Siting Board’s delay and a series of complicated legal maneuvers have allowed TransGas to keep their rights to the site.

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