By Aaron Besecker
The New York Power Authority’s emergency response plans for the Niagara Power Project are up to snuff despite concerns of local firefighters, according to federal regulators.
In a four-page letter sent last week to Upper Mountain Volunteer Fire Co., the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission also commended the power authority’s added security since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The two emergency plans — one for dam failure and the other for other public safety incidents — both meet federal requirements, wrote FERC Regional Engineer Charles Goggins.
“The New York Power Authority has acted in a responsible manner and has made significant security enhancements throughout the project to protect its facilities and the public from a possible terrorist attack,” Goggins also wrote.
Brian Vattimo, NYPA’s senior vice president of public and governmental affairs, said the power authority welcomed word from regulators.
“It was unexpected, but it does not mean that we don’t want to have a positive working relationship with the fire departments that serve the area around our facility,” Vattimo said.
For more than a year, local volunteer fire departments, led by Upper Mountain, have been critical of the power authority for what it believes has been a lack of support.
John Malinchock, assistant chief of Upper Mountain, said the fire companies’ position had been misrepresented by NYPA.
“We’re rather distraught that FERC did not go further to investigate this, but simply took the word of the New York State Power Authority,” Malinchock said.
Upper Mountain is looking for an apology from the power authority and will be disputing all documents submitted by the power authority in the relicensing process, he added.
