In July of 1999, Twin Tier Power LLC, a subsidiary of eCorp, a privately owned Houston, Texas, company, submitted a pre-application to the New York State Public Service Commission to build a power plant in Tioga County. The plant is to be built in Lounsberry, New York, on 45 acres owned by Tioga County's Industrial Development Agency. The plant would be a combined cycle, natural gas fired generator capable of producing 520 MW of electricity.

 Our group, the Concerned Citizens of Tioga County (CCTC) reviewed the several hundred page pre-application document, researched the facts and summarized the issues as follows:

 • Western New York doesn't need additional electricity, New York City does

 • The power plant is expected to produce 2.7 tons of air pollution each day

 • The power plant will require 4.3 million gallons of water per day, most of which will be discharged into our air

 • The developer has stated that they need significant tax incentives in order to have an economically balanced project.

 Based on that information, CCTC launched a campaign to inform the public and influence our elected officials to oppose the project. The yard sign project is part of that campaign. We also hold public information meetings, speak to civic groups and keep the issues in front of the public through editorials such as this. We strongly encourage people to take a stand against this environmentally devastating project.

 Thus far, the poser plant proposal has not progressed beyond the pre-application phase for reasons not revealed by Twin Tier Power, LLC. They do however, continue to make payments to the IDA on the land option. The NY Public Service Commission's law permitting the rapid approval of power plants expired at the end of 2002 and the replacement law is the subject of much political debate. CCTC will continue to report on developments regarding this project.

Barry Fetterolf, Chairman,
Concerned Citizens of Tioga County