The chair of a county legislature in the Hudson Valley says the New York State Public Service Commission has answered her call to reschedule public hearings concerning the continuing need for a new water supply source.
The PSC announced Friday, August 16 that it had scheduled public hearings for September 9 and 10 to hear about the continuing need for United Water New York to develop a new water source. Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell says PSC staff responded quickly, by phone, to her letter requesting the change of dates. Cornell says the hearing dates did not allow enough time to review the documents involved. In addition, she says the dates clash with back-to-school “Meet the Teacher” evenings in several school districts and September 10 primary elections. Plus, she says the dates fall in between two Jewish holy days. She says the PSC advised her that new dates would be announced soon. United Water has proposed a more than $120 million desalination plant. A number of legislators, citizens, and environmental groups oppose such a plant.
