By Stewart Lilker

Freeport NY
The future of Freeport’s Electric Company will be hanging in the balance today as Freeport’s Mayor Glacken meets with LIPA’s Richard Kessel and State Senator Charles Fuschillo (Merrick) about the future of Freeport’s polluting Power Plant Number 2 [PPN2]. PPN2 has been spewing raw diesel exhaust into Merrick, Freeport and other communities for the past thirty years.

Governor Pataki, the EPA, the DEC, LIPA and Senator Fuschillo have all lined up in support of the closure of the diesel generators at PPN2. Freeport’s Republican Mayor, William Glacken, in concert with his Republican Board of Trustees and Mob/Village Attorney, Harrison Edwards, have all worked hard to keep Freeport’s residents in the dark about PPN2 and the forces working to close it down.

At the Birch School in Merrick, on October 11, 2001, LIPA’s Kessel told Senator Fuschillo and almost two-hundred Merrick residents, "It [the pollution] affects the people of Merrick and other surrounding communities as well. Air doesn’t stop at the borders of communities."

Then Kessel continued, "They are hurting their own residents financially, because they are jeopardizing the future energy security of the Village of Freeport. Ultimately, Freeport’s failure to work with us and enter into a fair agreement will force electric rates up in the Village. I think that is very unfair to the residents of the Village of Freeport. I wish the Mayor were here tonight. I’ve told him this on the telephone. The Village of Freeport has this last opportunity to help us get through this."

Turning to Senator Fuschillo, Kessel told the group, "Just think of this for a second, Chuck. If they don’t make a deal with us and the DEC decides that that plant shouldn’t continue to operate, then, the lights go out in Freeport. Mr. Mayor, the people of Freeport, we are here to help you. We are here to work with you. We don’t want to hurt you, but the time is now to make a decision. And trust me when I tell you, that the offer that is out there, it is a solid offer for the Village of Freeport.

On October 9, 2001, the Glackenites side stepped LIPA and Fuschillo and advertised for proposals for an independent developer to lease PPN2. Having an independent developer build generation at PPN2 would enable Glacken to keep the diesel generators running. Regarding this, Kessel said, "I make you this promise. If they go forward on their own ..., I am going to go to that developer. I’m probably going to get sued for saying this. You have my word on this. If in fact, a developer is chosen to do this around our backs, I’m going to go to the developer and say, if you do this deal with Freeport, we are never going to do a deal with you anywhere on Long Island in the LIPA service territory."