New York Regional Interconnect Inc., the proposed 190-mile transmission line that will bring electrical energy from upstate New York to meet the growing demand in the southeastern part of the state, has received the official support of Unions for Jobs and the Environment (UJAE). UJAE includes unions that build and maintain electric generating and transmission facilities including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Boilermakers, the Teamsters, Sheet Metal Workers and Utility Workers.

On Aug. 6, UJAE President Bill Cunningham wrote letters of support on behalf of NYRI to New York State Governor David Paterson and Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, citing UJAE's longstanding commitment to finding solutions for New York's growing energy problem. According to Cunningham, NYRI is a viable part of that solution, offering new, clean and reliable power, as well as economic development that includes the creation of hundreds of construction-related jobs.

"It is our belief," writes Cunningham, "that the New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) represents an opportunity for New York to address its energy needs in an effective, responsible and lasting manner. We also believe that NYRI will give a strong boost to the New York economy by creating jobs and providing businesses with reliable energy. We respectfully urge you to support NYRI."

In his letters, Cunningham also encourages New York's leadership to avoid allowing NIMBYism to thwart critically important energy projects whose need has been well established by numerous independent studies. "No energy expert disputes the need for new transmission in New York," he points out, discouraging the politicians from putting more importance on the preferences of a few opponents compared with the needs of all New Yorkers.

"We at NYRI feel privileged to receive the support of UJAE and all of the highly skilled workers it represents," said Chris Thompson, president of NYRI. "Unions will be a core component of our workforce once the NYRI line begins construction. UJAE and its president Bill Cunningham understand the many benefits that the NYRI line will bring New Yorkers in terms of reliability, environmental investment and economic development. Together, we hope to stimulate New York's economy and ensure its future energy security."

According to independent studies included in NYRI's application to the New York Public Service Commission (PSC), the state regulatory agency in charge of siting power transmission lines, NYRI's project will bring a number of economic benefits to communities hosting the final route of the power line, which is determined by the PSC. Economic benefits include substantial payments in property taxes, generous payments to landowners providing easements over their land, the sourcing and purchasing of equipment locally, and a $30 million community fund set aside for communities hosting the project. Most importantly, NYRI's project will result in the creation of some 300 or more construction jobs during the three years of project construction as well as scores of permanent jobs when the power line goes into operation.

In addition to the economic stimulus the NYRI project will bring, the project will also lower wholesale electricity costs throughout New York State, which currently has the third-highest rates in the country. Comprehensive economic studies by Charles River Associates show that, by 2018, the NYRI power line will relieve costly electrical congestion in the state, thereby lowering wholesale rates by 5.7 percent. That translates to an annual savings for New Yorkers of nearly $684 million.

Independent studies also indicate that NYRI's new, efficient transmission line will significantly increase the reliability of New York's power grid and stimulate investment in renewable energy sources.

"We remain enthusiastic about our project and now, with the support of UJAE, the National Disabled Veterans Business Council, NYAREA and others, we hope that elected officials, business organizations and communities alike will see that NYRI is striving to address the vital energy needs of all New Yorkers while providing important local economic development opportunities," Thompson said.