Yorktown Neighbors to Meet Aug. 13 over Pipeline Expansion

A community group has called an Emergency Neighborhood Meeting to inform and update Yorktown residents about Spectra Energy’s proposal to expand an existing natural gas pipeline that goes through Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties on its way to New England.

Algonquin’s Incremental Market (AIM) project would lay a 42” diameter pipe along the route of the current line. It would cross the Hudson River near the Indian Point nuclear facility, run through Cortland, Peekskill and Yorktown into Putnam County, through Connecticut to Maine. Compressor stations at Stony Point and Southeast would be expanded.

Let’s Keep Yorktown Safe is holding the meeting at 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church on Gomer Street.

Spectra’s proposal is now before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is accepting comments from the public.

The Peekskill Common Council passed a resolution Aug. 11 calling for stringent health, safety, and financial safeguards before the pipeline can go through.

“Residents are very grateful to Kathy Talbot, Mayor Catalina, and Deputy Mayor Claxton for working hard on this resolution, and the vote resulted in applause from the gallery,” said Courtney Williams, who attended the meeting. “ They were very engaged with the community, worked with us, and moved very fast to pass this.”

The Cortlandt Town Board votes on a similar resolution tonight.

On Aug. 5, Putnam County lawmakers approved their second resolution on the issue, according to Philipstown.info.

They called for a moratorium this spring, to review impacts and address hazards.

“Tuesday evening, at its formal monthly meeting at the old courthouse in Carmel, it unanimously approved a new resolution demanding warning of scheduled “blowdowns” or gas venting from the pipeline and related compressor stations, and of notification within 30 minutes of unplanned, accidental releases,” wrote Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong for Philipstown.info.