HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021.09.09 LAC-PPF MinutesLAC-PPF Committee Zoom Meeting, September 9, 2021 at 7:00 pm
All members present: Sue Ruoff, Bert Bland, Bill Klepack, Hilary
Lambert, Lauren Chambliss, Derek Osborne, Ethan Bodnaruk, Leon
Zaharis. Also present: CJ Randall and Bronwyn Losey
The committee welcomed Leon Zaharis as our newest member. Leon is
a retired Cargill employee who also worked at the power plant as a
seasonal employee. He comes with deep knowledge of the plant’s
operations facility and sees a lot of opportunity and potential revenue
streams. After welcoming Leon, the Committee spent the majority of
the meeting discussing the Bell Station property auction, the Town
Board’s resolution, and other issues related to the private NYSEG,
sealed-bid auction for the nearly 500 acres adjacent to the plant
property. The auction is currently scheduled for mid-October. The
committee discussed the role of the Public Service Commission in
approving a possible sale of the land and expressed support for
ongoing efforts on the part of local citizens, the Lansing Town Board,
advisory committees, state representatives, and Tompkins County
legislature, to encourage NYSEG to negotiate with the Finger Lakes
Land Trust, sPower (solar company), the Town, and the Cayuga
Operating Company (COC) that operates the plant. The committee also
reviewed recent water permits submitted to the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) requested by the power plant
operating company. Sue Ruoff, board chairman, received the permit
correspondence through an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request.
The permit requests and the DEC responses are posted on the
committee website.
Submitted by Lauren Chambliss