Griffo Credits Locals for Forcing Nyri Withdrawal

(Albany) - Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R-I-C, Rome), an architect of the regional effort to block the New York Regional Interconnect proposal, said the withdrawal of the application is proof that the idea was, from the start, a bad solution to the state’s energy problems.

"First of all, I want to thank all the grass-roots organizations and local governments who united to fight this proposal," Griffo said, "I also want to acknowledge the Senate Republicans who stepped forward when we needed support in this fight by securing funding and passing legislation to fight NYRI.

"NYRI was nothing more than a group of investors trying to make money while ruining our environment and putting the health and safety of thousands of people at risk," Griffo said. "They tried to end run the process; they tried to jam this project down our throats, but we fought back and we now have a victory that defeats this disastrous proposal. Three years ago, I worked to develop a regional effort to block NYRI, and today I feel vindicated for all of the hard work, all of the resources committed to this fight."

Griffo said he will remain on guard for a return of a proposal like NYRI. "We have won this fight, but we can never take for granted that someone else will not exploit the state’s lack of a comprehensive energy policy to propose another project like NYRI," he said. "The best way to prevent another attempt is to develop a sound, statewide energy policy; something I have called upon the state’s executive branch to do and which I will continue to press for."