CPV petition by Riverkeeper and Neuhaus is welcomed but not enough

Protect Orange County, the group that has been leading the fight against the controversial CPV Valley power plant, welcomes new calls by Riverkeeper, Orange County Execugtive Steve Neuhaus, and other politicians to for the state to rescind permits for the plant, but says efforts must not end there.
Although we support all serious efforts to shut down the CPV Valley power plant, which we have long asserted was built on bribes and lies, we are concerned that this latest initiative is kicking the can down the road. We were disappointed to hear all of our elected officials equivocate on shutting down the plant. They all fell short of clearly calling for the permits to be rescinded. The public no longer trusts the New York State Department of Environmental Conservationi on this matter. We are asking all of our state legislators to immediately initiate oversight hearings and demand the state health commissioner invoke his police powers to shut down the plant now based on the adverse health impacts that residents have already reported.
The Percoco trial testimony clearly impugned the permitting process. The money paid to Percoco's wife was from the company, Competitive Power Ventures (CPV), and lasted for years after the power purchase agreement was taken off the table. These payments continued during periods in which several critical state permits were issued. This combination of facts warrant the immediate revocation of all state permits. Pramilla Malick, Chair, Protect Orange County, has received hundreds of complaints from residents experiencing health impacts due to the plant’s operation. Several came as recently as last night. Madeline Shaw a resident of Wawayanda said she had itching and burning eyes yesterday in the afternoon. “I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It began suddenly Sunday afternoon worsened as the evening progressed,” said Shaw.
Malick said that Shaw was not alone in this experience. She said the group confirmed that one of the stacks was slowly emitting dark smoke yesterday afternoon into the evening.
“Given the DEC’s denial of the eagles which now have a baby eaglet in the nest, we’re not surprised they won’t acknowledge the pollution or the corruption,” said Malick, “And it's why we say ‘The Eagles-R-Us,' but this is really the last chance for everyone to step up and do the right thing or we will all remember in September.”
Protect Orange County is calling on all legislators to immediately initiate oversight hearings on the plants questionable and compromised permitting process.
Protect Orange County