Credit: Patrick Grego
The Stanford Town Board unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, Oct. 10, opposing the proposed expansion of the Iroquois Pipeline. The measure urges Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject the project’s pending permits, citing growing concerns from residents and environmental advocates about potential risks to local and regional ecosystems.
The Iroquois Pipeline, in operation since 1992, delivers natural gas along its 370-mile route from Canada through Upstate New York and Connecticut to Long Island, crossing over 500 streams, rivers, and wetlands.
In 1996, the Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company and four of its top executives and supervisors pleaded guilty to multiple Clean Water Act violations during the pipeline’s construction. The offenses included failing to restore 188 streams and wetlands and neglecting to install critical safety devices, such as trench breakers, which caused significant environmental damage. The company was fined $22 million — the second-largest environmental penalty at the time, after the Exxon Valdez settlement — and was ordered to restore 30 additional wetlands impacted by the construction.
As part of the settlement, Iroquois Pipeline agreed to pay $15 million in criminal fines, $5 million in civil penalties, and $2 million in restitution to New York state. The fines were directed toward environmental restoration efforts, including the creation of additional wetlands and continued monitoring of the pipeline for safety. The case became one of the largest environmental criminal investigations in U.S. history.
Critics of the Iroquois Enhancement by Compression (ExC) Project fear it could further harm New York’s environment. The project proposes adding 12,000 horsepower of new compression and related facilities at existing stations in the Upstate New York towns of Dover and Athens, with additional upgrades in Connecticut.
On March 25, 2022, the Iroquois Enhancement by Compression Project received authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, before construction can proceed, the company must secure two Air State Facility permits from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation — one for each compressor station upgrade in New York.
At Thursday’s meeting, Stanford residents urged the board to join hundreds of environmentalists, elected officials, and other municipalities in formally opposing the pipeline expansion project. The board responded by unanimously passing a 5–0 resolution calling on Gov. Hochul to direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to deny the permits, citing concerns over water quality and fragile ecosystems.
“We need to protect our water and not take a chance on polluting it,” said Claudia DeBellis, a Stanfordville resident, during the meeting.
In other business, the board reintroduced Local Law No. 2, which would impose a moratorium on large-scale wind and battery energy storage developments to give the board time to develop regulations for such operations, as there are currently none in place. Town attorney Robert Butts noted that the updated law includes exceptions for single-family residential battery systems and electric vehicle charging stations. A public hearing on the moratorium is set for 7 p.m. on Nov. 14.
The board also postponed the introduction of a proposed law to amend zoning regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), citing the need for further revisions. “We still have some work to do on it,” said Town Supervisor Wendy Burton.
The Climate Smart Task Force announced the release of a survey to collect feedback on a potential town-wide composting program. The task force is preparing a grant proposal to secure $20,000 from Dutchess County to add a food scrap composting initiative at the Stanford Transfer Station.
The board received a tentative budget from the deputy town clerk earlier in the week and is currently workshopping it. A public hearing on the fire commissioners budget is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 15.
In personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Greg Williams from the Conservation Advisory Council and appointed Janet Allison as a new member.
Town Board member Ted Secor, a volunteer with The Haunted Fortress, called for more volunteers for the popular Halloween attraction. In other seasonal news, the annual Parade of Lights was confirmed for Dec. 7.
The next Stanford Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 8.