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The Tompkins County legislature unanimously voted to support a New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) petition to the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) requesting permission to construct a pressure-boosting compressor station project to address safety, pressure, and reliability issues for current natural gas customers in the Lansing area.
"It's not a matter of should we do it or should we not do it. NYSEG has put our town in a dangerous situation -- that is according to them," Legislator (Lansing) Mike Sigler said at a Wednesday evening town Board meeting. "That's in their paperwork. The compressor would increase the pressure to the existing system, so when it gets below 20 degrees the problem is everybody's using gas and the pressure falls dangerously low. They are trying to solve that problem, frankly a problem that should have been solved before it became an issue."
If approved, NYSEG would install four skid-mounted pressure booster compressors around Lansing's gas distribution infrastructure. Currently gas pressure in the town becomes critically low during peak use times in the winter. The compressors would boost the pressure to current supply lines to insure uninterrupted service to existing customers in Lansing.
Legislator Martha Robertson (Dryden) said the proposed initiative now being considered the PSC arose from discussions with the utility stemming from work of the County's Energy and Economic Development Task Force. Robertson advanced the member-filed resolution.
"With quick approval, people could have this in place by December 2018," Robertson said. "Our voice in support or this filing and this petition will certainly be helpful in persuading them to move ahead." The member-filed approach was necessary due to a lack of time to get the matter through the Legislature's committee process and still meet the PSC's September 25th comment deadline.
Sigler told the Lansing Town Board he supports the compressor plan, but he disagrees with a plan to continue a moratorium on new natural gas customers in Lansing.
"This does not mitigate the fact that I think Lansing needs more natural gas," he said. "This does not lift the moratorium. this does not bring natural gas up by the airport for development. It doesn't do anything for the moratorium."
Sigler shared a letter he sent to New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) Secretary Kathleen Burgess supporting the compressor, but arguing that the natural gas moratorium on Lansing should be lifted. He urged people to send comments to the PSC (case # 17-G-0432 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
"Lansing will continue to be at an economic disadvantage with the surrounding towns and City of Ithaca who have an ample supply of natural gas to attract businesses," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Read the proposal below and comment. I'm supporting the compressors, but will be pushing for a new pipeline to lift the moratorium too. Please join me by commenting to the Public Service Commission."
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