Neuhaus: 'I encourage CPV opponents ... in demanding that our State and Federal officials take action on CPV'

Thank you for sharing with me the “Open Letter” by CPV opponents. I agree with them that CPV’s permitting process at the State and Federal level was a complete disappointment and must be questioned in its entirety. Sadly, our State and Federal officials have the power to do something about the permits issued to CPV, yet they have done nothing.
Before I became County Executive, the Orange County Legislature voted 20-0 in support of the CPV project in May of 2012. I did not become County Executive until 2014.
When the Democratic corruption scandal broke relating to CPV, including the arrest of a top aide of the governor, I urged our State and Federal officials to review and reconsider every State and Federal permit.
Our State and Federal officials – nearly all of whom took campaign contributions from CPV, did nothing. The County is not in a position to issue a moratorium as we did not issue the initial permit. New York is a home rule state. Local zoning is controlled by towns, not the County.
The Millennium Pipeline feeds the CPV power plant. Orange County went to court against the Millennium Pipeline. We are, to my knowledge, the only entity that has actually successfully won litigation in relation to this project. Still though, we need our State and Federal officials to act, they continue to fail us.
The facts are clear: long before my opponent in the County Executive race, I called for a complete review of all permits, which our State and Federal officials declined to do. Our County Attorney, at my direction, went to Court against Millennium to stop them from taking County land. All State and Federal permits should be reviewed – as I have called for over a year – with no action by our Federal and State officials.
I encourage CPV opponents to join with me in demanding that our State and Federal officials take action on CPV.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Neuhaus
County Executive
Orange County