KINGSTON, N.Y. >> The city Planning Board has postponed voting on Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.’s request to install a natural gas regulating station at Washington Avenue and Janet Street while possible alternate locations are explored.
During a meeting Monday, the board heard from more than a dozen people who raised concerns about the utility’s proposal to install the regulating station at 245 Washington Ave. Among concerns were how the station would affect property values in the neighborhood and whether there would be any environmental or health impacts to the area and its residents.
After hearing from the public and Central Hudson’s representatives, the Planning Board voted unanimously to table action on the utility’s request for a month. Board Chairman Wayne Platte Jr. said there is a need for reliable natural gas service to residents in the area but that he was inclined to table the matter for now. In the meantime, he said, there should be “serious discussion” over the next month to find a solution that works for everyone involved.
Central Hudson is proposing the new regulating station to replace an existing underground facility on Emerson Street that was built in 1930. The new station would consist of two lines that come out of the ground and go through equipment intended to balance pressure of natural gas running to approximately 5,100 customers.
The utility’s site plan shows the proposed new station would be screened with trees and a picket fence would be placed around the property.
Prior to the board tabling the matter, some members indicated they were concerned about the location because it is in a residential neighborhood.
“This particular location is a concern,” board member Robert Jacobsen said. He said if the regulating station was being proposed for a commercial site, it would be approved.
It was Jacobsen who proposed tabling the matter for a month while Central Hudson, planning staff and the public explore potential alternate sites. He said if no alternate sites can be found, it would be a mandate to approve using the Washington Avenue site.
Most of the public speakers on Monday urged the board to delay voting on the request or to deny it outright.
Janet Street resident Felipe Gaudet, who has repeatedly raised concerns about the proposal, noted the site is in a densely populated area on a busy street. She said the Planning Board should proceed cautiously because public safety is at stake.
Other speakers said they bought property in the area prior to the station being proposed but would not have done so if they knew the station would be built there.
Some others said Central Hudson had not convincingly demonstrated the need for a new station nor shown the operation would not threaten water or air quality.
Central Hudson engineer Tera Stoner said Monday that the utility has “been operating these types of natural gas regulator stations in our territory for nearly a hundred years, and a lot of them are located within residential areas.” She said this station would be one of 10 within the “Kingston low-pressure system.”
Stoner said Central Hudson is required to follow regulations set by the state Public Service Commission, which she said incorporate nearly a century’s worth of engineering that makes the stations extremely safe. She said if Central Hudson had to move the station to a more commercial location, it would require a “significant upgrade” of the piping infrastructure.
Stoner also said the further Central Hudson goes from the proposed site, the harder it would be to serve customers.
Larry Cambalik, manager of gas and mechanical engineering for Central Hudson, said the utility sought alternate locations for the station in the past. He said the utility negotiated with some property owners, which takes time, but has been unsuccessful.
Cambalik also noted natural gas is lighter than air, so if there is a leak, the gas vents into the atmosphere and dissipates. He said the utility adds an odor to its natural gas so leaks can be detected and the utility can respond as quickly as possible.