There are so many lies that are told about the NYRI project that it is tough to decide where to begin.  Some of this may seem like old news, but these lies keep showing up again and again. One problem in twenty-first century America is that if a lie is repeated often enough, it becomes conventional wisdom, and is then assumed to be the truth. That is why we need to be "the truth squad" to keep the debate honest. Here are some of the lies that irritate me the most.

1. 90% of the route uses existing rights of way. This is one of NYRI's favorite lies, so they use it often.  They are referring to the fact that 90% of the route goes along either the railroad ROW or other utility ROW.  They point this out often to imply that the land they are using is already "spoiled" so the impact will be "minimal". But it is ridiculous to compare an 85-130 foot tall tower to a rail bed or a common utility pole.  The truth is that these monstrosities are going through previously unspoiled territory and will cause major destruction along the entire route.

2. NYRI will only use Eminent Domain in a small percentage of cases. 

This is part two of the mistruth above.  They claim that only 10% of the route requires a "new ROW" but the rail bed and existing utility ROWs are way too narrow for the towers, so they will need to seize land along the entire 190 mile route.  The other part of the lie is that they don't plan to actually use Eminent Domain to seize the land; they hope to just "negotiate".  Eminent Domain is used as the ultimate bargaining chip.  A property owner knows that if they don't agree to a "fair price" then they can use Eminent Domain. With Eminent Domain hanging over the heads of a seller, NYRI can make property owners "an offer they can't refuse".

3. NYRI is good for the environment and will produce cleaner air.

OK, this one is laughable, but the premise behind this lie is that the NYRI lines will transmit power form clean energy sources upstate instead of dirty oil and gas plants that are built downstate.  The scandalous part of this argument is in the fact that NYRI has no contracts to transmit power form any sources and they are just as likely to send power produced by cheaper, dirtier power sources as from cleaner but less cost efficient wind farms.  Got coal? No problem, if the price is right you'll have a new market in the Hudson valley thanks to NYRI.  It is also quite easy to see the false choice they offer:  Clean upstate power vs. dirty downstate power.  Why not build clean power generation downstate?  Well, that's not NYRI's business.

4. The NYRI line will increase reliability in the system.

This is a double-edged lie.  First, they are lying about increasing the reliability in the system.  This was one of the points that the PSC made in their "insufficiency ruling" that NYRI never explained exactly how their plan will increase reliability. (Hint: it won't, so we'll be on the lookout for more lies on this matter)  Second, is the way they use this claim in their PR.  Increased reliability is a "code word" suggesting that the NYRI lines will prevent the blackouts that everyone fears.  No, they are not actually saying that the NYRI line would have prevented the big blackout of 2003, they are just sort of suggesting it.  Would NYRI's line have prevented this year's blackout in Queens caused by poorly maintained Con Ed lines?  Of course not, but when they talk about increased reliability, this is link they want the public to make.

5. NYRI will benefit all New Yorkers. 

This lie showed up at the State Senate hearings and again in the letter responding to Sen. Schumer's questions.  They are once again claiming that we all will benefit from a more "reliable" system, even though it won't be any more reliable, and nobody along the line will be able to use any of the power passing through. What are the benefits for upstate? Could they be referring to the higher electric rates, lower property values, a crushed economy and environmental destruction?  There is the "host benefit package" but we could hardly consider that a benefit for all New Yorkers (especially when they have the nerve to count the money they will use to buy out our homes as part of the total benefit package).

6. The NYRI plan was designed for minimum impact.

Stop laughing; they are serious about this claim. The truth is the design has only one goal: to minimize the impact on NYRI's profits.  This is not the shortest route, or the route that impacts the fewest people, or impacts the fewest towns or buildings, or reduces environmental impact in any way.  The route was designed to use the inexpensively obtained railroad ROW to maximize profits. Or, maybe what they mean by "Minimum impact" is that it doesn't interfere with anyone important, just us simple country folk.  Let's call this one "A bald-faced lie".

7. The HVDC line will pose no threat to public health.

I'll admit this one is hard to prove as a lie, but it is equally hard to prove it to be true.  There is a lot of good reasonable science to suggest that the EMF produced by this line will pose a possible health threat to those who live nearby.  There is also the risk posed by the corona ion discharge of the electric fields the lines produce.  In the scientific community it is often hard to provide definitive proof, but there is ample evidence to suggest serious doubts about the safety of these lines.  So, the question we must ask is: Who should have the burden of proof?  Should the public have to definitively prove the danger, or should they have to definitively prove the safety?

8. There is urgent need for this project. 

This lie is easy to disprove.  We have Mayor Bloomberg's energy task force telling us that the metropolitan area doesn't need as much power as previously estimated.   Their conservation measures are helping.  We even have Con Ed saying that they are all set for power for now.  The "urgency" is only that NYRI will not make any money from this project until it is built.  The sooner they can push this through, the sooner the money will roll in. It is safe to say this statement lacks a quality we now call truthiness.

9. NYRI's plan will reduce our dependency on foreign oil (something NYRI's lawyer Mr. Singer thinks we can all agree on). 

I never get tired of this lie.  See the "good for the environment" explanation above.  I also love the way it urges support for NYRI as an issue of national security. I'll put this in the "lying with a straight face" category because of Mr. Singer's excellent performance.

10. "The fat lady has sung."  

This lie was made by Sen. Seward after the lame Bonacic EmDo bill passed the state senate.  Of course, the bill will do little to stop this project.  As previously discussed on this site, the best we can hope for is a temporary slowdown while NYRI successfully challenges this law in court. Maybe Seward usually leaves the opera after the first act?  This fight is not even close to over. This may seem like a "little white lie" because it is simply a misuse of a bad cliché, but because this statement made headlines, and gave so many people the false impression that we achieved a great victory thanks to the Senator, it deserves a spot on the list. Next time try this one Mr. Seward: "We have not yet begun to fight!"

WHAT DOES "NYRI" STAND FOR?
A Glossary of Acronyms

THE COMPANY

NYRI — New York Regional Interconnect Inc. is a privately financed corporation, meaning that it issues no public stock or annual report and is opaque to watchdogs. A privately financed corporation can’t declare eminent domain. They need the government to do it for them.

ACI — American Consumer Industries — (Wilmington, DE) founded 1984 -- the holding company that owns 50% of NYRI, Inc., that in turn owns 100% of NYRI (Albany). It’s parent company is Canadian.

DOE — United States Department of Energy. Click here for a slick little Flash movie depicting their plans for energy distribution and transmission in the 21st century. Note the transmission of rural generation to urban consumption.NIETC — National Interest Electrical Transmission Corridor. NYRI applied to the DOE for an “early designation as a NIETC” covering the railroad route.NYPSC — New York Public Service Commission (also PSC). The state agency that can grant a privately owned company permission under Article VII to erect power lines and seize private land. If the PSC can’t decide what to do after one year...NYISO — New York Independent Service Operators. A nonprofit organization formed as part of the restructuring of New York State's electric power industry. Its mission is to operate the state's bulk electricity grid and administer New York's wholesale electricity markets. FERC — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, FERC can choose a route within the designated corridor and declare eminent domain. Lawyers at FERC are often hired by Bracewell & Giuliani (yes, Rudy Giuliani) as a reward for good work at the FERC.NERC — North American Electric Reliability Council. NERC's mission is to ensure that the bulk electric system in North America is reliable, adequate and secure.ERO — Electric Reliability Organization. A U.S. self-regulatory body that spans North America, with FERC oversight. It assures that NERC standards are met by Canadian authorities as well.

EPRI — Electrical Power Research Institute, established in 1973 as an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research. EPRI's leading experts work collaboratively on solutions to the challenges of electric power, spanning nearly every area of electricity generation, delivery, and use, including health, safety, and environment.

HV — High voltage. NYRI’s cables will carry 400,000 volts each. There will be two cables per tower.DC — Direct current, as distinct from AC, (alternating current). Direct current uses less energy than AC to carry electricity over long distances.

THE RESISTANCE

CARI CARI stands for "Communities Against Regional Interconnect," a group that formed to represent the 8 counties which the line is proposed to run through, in addition to several of the citizen's action groups along the line, including STOP NYRI, Inc.NYRI.info — The website you are on now, somewhat designed to mimic NYRIs fancy-pants flash-based website, but with some Real Information that you can sink your teeth into (as opposed to the FLUFF at nyri.us).UDPC — The Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition. Based in Narrowsburg, NY. It is actively opposing NYRI and is another go-to place for information and updates. STOP NYRI, Inc. — A group of committed citizens of Oneida, Madison, and Chenango counties who have come together to fight NYRI. This website represents this task force.RFH — Radio Free Hamilton, a website from Hamilton, NY, that is heavily focused on the fight against the powerlines.

MORE ACRONYMS

AEP - American Electric Power
ATC - Available Transfer Capability
BPA - Bonneville Power Administration
CAISO - California Independent System Operator
CREPC - Committee for Regional Electric Power Cooperation
EIA - U.S. Energy Information Administration
ERCOT - Electric Reliability Council of Texas
FACTS - Flexible AC transmission system
HTS - High-temperature superconductivity
HVDC - High-voltage direct current
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
ISO - Independent System Operator
kV - Kilovolt
MWh - Megawatt hour
NARUC - National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
NASEO - National Association of State Energy Officials
NEPD - National Energy Police Develepment
NGC - National Grid Company
OASIS - Open Access Same Time Information System
PBR - Performance-based regulation
PCR - Price-cap regulation
PJM - Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland Interconnection
PMA - Power Maketing Administration
POEMS - Policy Office Electricity Modeling System
PUC - Public utility commission
R&D - Research and development
RTO - Regional Transmission Organization
SWPA - Southwestern Power Administration
TLR - Transmission Loading Relief
TTC - Total Transfer Capability
TVA - Tennessee Valley Authority
WAPA - Western Area Power Administration
WGA - Western Governor’s Associtation
WSCC - Western Systems Coordinating Council

Adapted from Lynn Phillips and Chris Rossi (thanks!)