WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Michael Arcuri (D-Utica) continued his quest against New York Regional Interconnect Wednesday, telling Congress that the designation of energy corridors interferes with states’ rights and unnecessarily creates federal “spheres of influence.”

“The purpose of this new law is to alleviate (electricity) congestion,” Arcuri said. “The problem, however, is that by setting up these energy corridors, the law allows private utility companies to run power lines that do nothing whatsoever to alleviate congestion ... a current proposal by New York Regional Interconnection within the draft Mid-Atlantic Area corridor, which covers nearly my entire district and much of Upstate New York, is a perfect example of this.”

Arcuri blasted <a href="http://www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI</a> and the recent draft designations of National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors – which cover all or part of 11 states across U.S., 72 percent of New York, and the congressman’s entire district – that could allow the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to override Albany’s long-standing power line authority.

“The proposed (<a href="http://www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI</a>) project, according to the private utility company, aims to alleviate energy congestion in the New York City area and avoid future ‘black outs,’ but what this proposal would actually do is make congestion significantly worse because it would only bring additional power to the Rock Tavern Substation in Orange County – 70 miles outside of New York City, and do nothing to stop the occurrence of blackouts.”

Arcuri was speaking in support of a fledgeling amendment introduced by Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-Hurley) that would block funding for the U.S. Department of Energy’s corridor designations.

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ALBANY – The National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington named the historic areas in seven of the eight states – including New York – in the Mid-Atlantic National Interest Transmission Electric Transmission Corridor as part of their “11 Most Endangered Historic Places” list.

The listing came in response to the NIETC designations, and in large part NYRI’s $1.6 billion power line proposal, trust officials said.

NYRI spokesman David Kalson responded Tuesday that the ultimate decision on the significance of the historic sites along their 190-mile route is up to the New York state Public Service Commission.