Victor Furman
Upstate New York Landowner Shale Gas Activist
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Vic Furman talks about the price of obstruction when it comes to a NG Advantage project in Broome County and begs that leaders step up and stop the insanity.
Whenever natural gas comes up in New York discussions, truth seems to be the first casualty. Fossil fuels provide us with the power to live in cold weather climate, to get us to and from our jobs. Fossil fuels take our children to school and fossil fuels feed us and provide us with medicine and life extending technology. Fossil fuels even provide fuel to Google’s very large solar power array in the desert when the sun doesn’t shine. So, why the hate here in NY? This week was all telling about the fractivists still fighting against NG Advantage’s already approved transfer station in the Town of Fenton, Broome County.
NG Advantage attempted to educate those fractivist opponents (roughly four dozen people out of a town of 6,000 or so) who were so loud in their objections to the plan to locate a natural gas transfer station on a service road already dedicated to industrial development. The company held public informational meetings that were attended by several local fractivists. They also organized and promoted a free bus trip to Vermont to see a working facility with hopes of quelling fears.
Sadly, though, and despite the fact NG Advantage offered as many buses as were needed free of charge, not too many were interested in learning the truth. In the end they could have fitted the people who took the company up on its tour offer in a 15 passenger van! That’s a measurement in my opinion of the actual concern within the area of the proposed transfer station, a very poor showing of community concern because their really isn’t much. Most readers of this blog know full well its not about facts with the antis; rather, it’s about promoting fear and opposition to fossil fuels no matter what.
I took a ride along the proposed site, using an I-pad to make a video. Note, I am not a videographer with any level of talent, but videos don’t lie unless edited and this is not edited. In the beginning, I mistakenly call the transfer station a pipeline. It is not pipeline but, rather, a transfer station. Enjoy the truth.
Also, notice there are not a bunch of homes near the site; there are very few, in fact, even on the way to the site. Albeit, at the beginning of the access road, before the American Legion, there are some homes but they are about a mile from the proposed site. The site was picked because it’s already zoned Industrial and is proximate to the Millennial Pipeline from which the gas will be drawn. Could there possibly be any better location?
Not only is the site an excellent location, but we know New York State is using more natural gas than ever and Broome County desperately needs economic development. Recently, in fact, Broome County Executive Jason Garner was on the local news telling viewers the county was in fiscal trouble with a fund balance of only $250,000. Here’s the video from WIZC FOX 40:
FOX 40 WICZ TV – News, Sports, Weather, Contests & More
Garner is, once again, talking about job cutbacks and raising taxes on an already overtaxed community. Yet, here is what NG Advantage would offer, according to CEO Ricco Biasetti and take note how Garner courts NIMBYs in avoiding one of the obvious solutions:
“We hear the concerns of the Broome County Executive and want to say that NG Advantage is here to help,” said Rico Biasetti, NG Advantage CEO.
The company says the project will create 100 local construction jobs and an additional 150 full-time positions once complete. In addition, they say millions of dollars of tax revenue will be produced by the facility.
“We want to be a great partner to this community for years to come,” said Biasetti. “We’re looking forward to growing our team, making sure all potential and new employees understand how much we value their expertise and commitment.”
Along with the employment opportunities, the company says the facility will boost the economy through tax payments.
- $1.76 million one-time sales tax revenue
- $10 million in annual payroll and benefits for 150 local employees
- $750,000 in annual tax payments for payroll, fuel, and property tax
“All of that will be good for Broome County,” said Biasetti.
County Executive Jason Garnar recently said that he still backs the Article 239 Review conducted by the Broome County Planning Department regarding the Fenton Natural Gas project.
On July 1, he said that his concerns aren’t about the product, but the location.
“I use natural gas in my house and we have to find a way to get it to people somehow, but the placement of it, we have a lot of concerns about,” said Garnar.
NG Advantage has already received almost 100 resumes from job seekers and plans to be at local career fairs, including the 2016 Southern Tier Construction Career Day on October 4 at the Broome County Highway Department in Binghamton.
When are New York’s leaders going to get it? When are we going to stop playing special interest NIMBY politics and put the interests of the common good at the forefront? When will we stop trying to appease tiny bands of radical malcontents? When are we going to stop turning away opportunities to once again grow in population instead of decline and raise taxes on those left here? We’re already the highest taxed county in the highest taxed state in the lower 48. Turning away just one legitimate business sends a message to all others that New York is a distinctly unfriendly business environment and that they should look elsewhere! Turning down a cheap source of energy also sends another message that we’re too expensive a place to do business because of our high energy costs.
Call Jason Garner @ 607-778-2109 and tell him we want growth—not taxes—and NG Advantage is growth. Tell him to fight for us against the obstructionists. Stop the insanity! We can’t take any more of this. Don’t let a handful of bully fractivists hold us captive. “Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man.”
What a pathetic”leader” he is. Who let him sit at the adult table? Grow a pair and do the right thing Jason.
I admire your resolve Vic. Must have been tough as an average citizen going up against the organizers and ngo’s.
I agree. Sometimes you just gotta fight even as a broad. I have never seen anything quite like this movement. What it does with information is dangerous. It’s tactics are unethical and it targets anyone and everyone who won’t bow down to it.
I am curious as to what you make of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ argument here about an approved natural gas pipeline? (Vice of course has been keeping it unreal on pipelines and compressor stations and more for years now.)
“We believe that all land is sacred because it was created by God, and we do not want something like a pipeline that will be carrying fossil fuels to go through on our property,” says Sister Janet McCann, who has been with the order for 38 years. “It goes against what our values are.”
https://news.vice.com/story/nuns-are-standing-in-the-way-of-a-massive-pennsylvania-pipeline
“Even if Schmehl rules in favor of Williams this week, the dispute will be far from over. Clatterbuck says that more than 1,000 people have pledged to engage in non-violent direct action should eminent domain be granted. Lancaster Against Pipelines has been hosting weekly training sessions in coordination with Greenpeace over the last few months to prepare local residents.”
Please explain how you get the figure of $10 million in annual payroll and benefits for 150 employees?
sounds awfully high…!
here is statement from Superintendent of Schools in Chenango Valley School District and their concerns and actions taken to protect their students and residents:
Natural Gas Compressor Update (6/22/17):
Today the Chenango Valley Central School District (CVSD) filed an Article 78 special proceeding in Broome County Supreme Court challenging the actions of the Town of Fenton Planning Board in approving the Site Plan for the NG Advantage, LLC proposed compressed natural gas (CNG) compressor facility at 65, 69 & 93 West Service Road in the Town of Fenton. The facility will extract natural gas from pipelines, filling specialized trucks with CNG, a highly flammable substance under up to 4,000 sq.ft. of pressure, and transporting it to CNG commercial customers. The current route for trucks leaving the facility is proposed to go directly past the Chenango Valley Middle School and High School.
CVSD, through their attorney, Meave Tooher of Tooher & Barone, LLP, Albany, NY, oppose the facility based on the safety and traffic hazards created for the students, staff and their families as a consequence of these activities. CVSD maintains that the Planning Board erroneously issued a negative declaration of environmental impact under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) finding that the project would have no significant environmental impact. CVSD submitted affidavits from Superintendent David Gill and former NYSDOT regional Director William Fitzpatrick stating that routing for the facility creates irreparable harm to the community in general and the school district in particular and the failure to complete a traffic study and evaluate the environmental and community impacts of the facility was arbitrary and capricious and erroneous as a matter of law. The district is asking that the site plan be revoked, the negative declaration be overturned and that this matter be returned to the Planning Board for a full environmental review.
Thank you,
David Gill signature
David P. Gill
CVCSD Superintendent
more studied need to be taken before approving this project; the people come first and their safety and needs and corporations come second.
website for the school district: http://www.cvcsd.stier.org/
and a NY Judge has issued a stop-work order for NG Advantage…see copy on school website:
A similar CNG Compressed Gas Terminal in my area of Pa., Forest Lake Twp./ Montrose, Pa.. has had their second accident of their large, pressurized gas tractor trailers since Feb. of this year…as they leave the terminal heading for NY…the trucks crash and fall to their sides and are totalled.
here is one of my videos about our CNG terminal…
https://twitter.com/foodandwater/status/887658291773358080
“Did you know that the US will be producing more natural gas than it will be using? #StopPipelines” Says Food and Water Watch. Food and Water Watch is run by Wenonah Hauter with the nasally voice right Vera? How many people does Food and Water Watch employ right now? Any scientists? Or is it just folks like Alex Beauchamp and Eric Weltman?
Come on Vera. The opposition to this project is about the street route? Wouldn’t the antifracking pipeline and all infrackstructure movement be saying essentially the exact same thing if this were a pipeline project?
Don’t you get that your movement’s opposition to everything and your lack of credibility and your willingness to lie whereever you go makes people less likely to pay attention to any concerns at all?
What the frack does a truck going in a ditch have to do with the safety of a transfer station
A truckload of concrete pipe on top of that. She should get ticketed for distracted driving for using her video camera while driving before she causes a wreck. I noticed there were no houses around that transfer station.
there are houses all around this transfer station;
two are for sale ;
one was bought by XNG;
and the nearby four houses were used in XNG’s Noise Survey/Study required by the County to see if the noise level is within the required max limit of 50 decibels in the county ordinance to the nearest occupied buildings…and XNG failed the first noise study and then was required to put up noise buffer walls which they just did
and performed their second Noise survey/study and this time just passed at 48 decibels…
you can call our Director of the County Planning Commission , Bob Templeton, and verify any of this info at 570 278 4600 and ask for the Planning Commission or hit no. 8 in the menu….
NY is not PA so please don’t compare the two. Different states different regs. BTW.why do you still live in PA when you said if NY was going to ban you would move here (please don’t ).in fact go back to Jersey
https://vimeo.com/chandac
I would be verious curious as to what Vic’s opinion of this new documentary is just based on the trailer?
How is it that Sandra Steingraber is seen as credible one wonders?
Karen,
Sandra Stiengrabber has zero credibility with me and with most who know and understand her. Here is a woman who used children as her concern in the fight against fracking. She stated she has thousands of reports of ground water contamination caused by fracking.
HERE IS WHAT I KNOW:
Using children is in the anti fracking playback under the section of fear mongering. Self reporting false documentation on low birth rates in drilling areas proven to be made up science by the antis themselves. Sandra doesn’t care about protecting children and says she aborted her own child because an ultra sound showed it wasn’t perfect.
The hundreds of pages OF DOCUMENTED cases of water contamination she refers to are not scientific analysis but rather activist accusations that couldn’t be verified due to the lack of scientific evidence. Don’t forget the holy grounds of anti activism in Dimock PA condemned by Stiengraber and Josh Fox as industrial wasteland, 168 water wells tested right there in the center of it all and not one well tested positive for drilling or fracking related contamination.
Then, there is the infamous list or so called “Book of the Harmed” penned by some anti activist nurse who entered into its pages stories like – my goat was born just a head, my bird got diarrhea, my 89 year old father died of a heart attack when he heard fracking was coming, my kids got nose bleeds and hives when they showered…no never took them to a Dr.
You got to give these people credit though Karen, they are professional liars standing at the alter of hypocrisy as they recruit followers who find fear romantic, and good liars worth listening to.
As for me and my family we serve the truth, not some highly paid activist who had an abortion because the child wasn’t up to her standards, then claims to be an activist protecting the unborn.
As for Vera’s comment above… She is epitome of the lonely spinster.
A funny thing ? Why is it that most of the loudest voices against this are leased property owners ?
They wanted lease money but now they hate NG?
Maybe there,s something to all this?
As for me, I am sick of changing tire valve stems and other damages since this started back up!!
It also seems odd that these people would rather run pipes through their neighbors yards?
Like I been sayin all along, There are a lot of dogs in this big hunt for our energy dollars!!!
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