(Editor's Note: Twin Tier Power, LLC, based in Houston, Texas, wants to construct and operate a 520 megawatt combined-cycle, natural gas-fired electric generating facility at the Lounsberry Industrial site at Exit 63 of Route 17)

 We at the Concerned Citizens of Tioga County (CCTC) would like to thank the hundreds of supporters who have contacted us in many ways and offered support in the opposition to the power plant. Be it with monetary donations, research, contact someone you know with the knowledge and education to assist us, or even asking for a sign for your yard so people know where you stand. Keep it coming. And if you don't reach us on your first try, give us another try later. We are all working people and we do the best we can to contact everyone.

 One thing that has been mentioned by several politicians in local government concerning this plant that needs to be addressed is the belief that after the formal application is submitted we can then look at the impact that the power plant will have on the environment, and do something then.

 What these people are referring to is "Article X." This is a part of the New York State public service law, set forth to review an application to construct a power plant. If they meet the requirements, they will obtain a certificate of environmental compatibility and be allowed to construct their facility. This law was designed to make it easier for power plants to be sited by by-passing many of the hurdles set forth normally to protect the people and environment of the area. An example is that there would not be a full environmental impact study done.

 When an applicant submits its Article X application, it must also submit a fee of $1000 per megawatt of capacity, up to $300,000, for an intervenor fund. These funds are distributed by a presiding examiner to municipalities and other local parties to help defray the expenses of expert witnesses and consultants. At least 50% of this will go to the municipalities and up to 50% will go to local parties.

 This sounds like a group of concerned people could apply for this and get some experts to look after this situation, right? Couldn't be further from the truth. To get intervenor funds, you have to be looking into a situation that the government doesn't have a department looking into. An example would be the spotted owl of the West. In other words, any pollution will be handled by the Department of Environmental Conservation. The water withdrawl will be handled by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and they all answer to the governor, who's for anything that bring a job into New York, and this is state of the art and good for Tioga County.

 Feel confident? After seeing what a poor job that the DEC has done with a metal shredding plant that the governor said was "state-of-the-art" and good for the community of Owego, we think that maybe we should be a little more cautious on the next thing that is endorsed for our community by our fearless leader and his appointees.

 The fact of the matter is that it usually takes a long time to get reimbursed the money that is spent if you do get approved. That's right, you have to spend your own money first and then someday, you'll get paid back. And another fact is that the government has the bases covered so well that most of the time the intervenor funds go untouched and are returned to the applicant.

 So, anybody who thinks that the funds will help solve the community's questions and concerns is misguided, or so it seems. Maybe that's the way they want it to look, and then they can say "We didn't know." Incidentally, this information can be found on the state's Web site www.dps.state.ny.us/articlex.htm or www.askpsc.com (the public service commission).

 As people who are living in this community, we feel that we need to look at these concerns and make our legislators accountable to protect us and our environment, saying that the DEC will handle this is just a cop out. We need true leaders to guide us honestly through this. Who will they be?