Archive: Opinions

When reading the remarks from Connie Wilcox, Robert Cree and Kathy Miller in your August 21st report Lansing Responds to Caroline Anti-Power Plant Vote, I was disappointed to see their lack of understanding exactly why Caroline recently passed a resolution opposing repowering of the Cayuga Power Plant. The Town of Dryden passed a similar resolution in August of 2013. Additionally, Town Officials from Ulysses and Ithaca spoke out against the Repowering of Cayuga at a public forum in February 2015.

These town officials are speaking out because they understand that we are all connected and that climate change is something that affects us all. Air and water pollution does not magically stop at the Town Line. Mitigating climate change is the responsibility of everyone on this planet because it will impact everyone. We cannot continue to be shortsighted and act like it will all be okay. The economic impacts that we are certain to suffer because of climate change will be far more significant than the loss of tax revenues from shutting down the Cayuga Power Plant.

Additionally, the residents of all of these towns are NYSEG ratepayers who will be on the hook for paying for this unneeded repowering project. These officials are not putting their noses into Lansing's business as stated by Lansing Council Member Robert Cree. They are, in fact, upholding their oath to protect and serve the residents of their municipalities.

I commend the good people of Caroline, Dryden, Ulysses, and Ithaca for looking critically at the issue and making their decision based on science and facts not on politics.

Joanne Cipolla-Dennis
Dryden, NY
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