Orangetown Town Board Approves Amended License for O&R Substation Project

Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. will continue work on its local power project with the town of Orangetown's permission even as legislation backing the project awaits state Assembly apporoval.

The Orangetown Town Board voted to amend the revocable license it had already granted Orange and Rockland to work on building transition structures on town-owned land. The structures will help feed power to its new substation on Corporate Drive.

The pending state legislation would approve a land swap between Orange and Rockland and Orangetown, giving the power company the land where the transition structures are being built. The Senate already passed the legislation March 9.

"We are asking the license be amended to allow us to continue and complete the work," said Brian Quinn of Orange and Rockland during the public portion of Tuesday's town board meeting, before the vote. "Time is crucial. We would like the permission of the town to continue the work."

Quinn, who has lived in Pearl River for 25 years, said he hoped that the Assembly would vote on the legislation next week.

"I might say how important this project is to keep moving," said Orangetown Councilman Mike Maturo.

Sen. David Carlucci, D-New City, sponsored the bill in the state Senate. Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, is co-sponsoring the bill in the Assembly. The legislation passed the Assembly last year, but the Senate never acted on it.

"I spoke to Ellen Jaffee on Sunday and she swore to me she is going to take care of this," said Orangetown Councilman Denis Troy.

According to Jaffee's office, the bill came out of committee yesterday and she expects it to come to full vote "in the coming days." She is confident that it will pass the Assembly, pointing to the fact that she was able push through it's approval in only a week last year.

The transition structures are part of a $29.8-million O&R substation and transmission line project which is meant to provide more power and more reliable service for residents and businesses in the area. The project should also help promote corporate expansion in Orangetown.