Con Edison, in cooperation with the city, is planning to permanently close several streets around its E. 14th St. power plant. The streets had been closed on a temporary basis for security reasons after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Susan Stetzer, district manager of Community Board 3, said she was notified about the plan in writing on Tuesday and had been told about it a few days before. According to Stetzer the closings include Avenue D from 13th to 14th Sts.; 14th St. from Avenue C to the F.D.R. Drive; and 15th St. from Avenue C to the F.D.R. Drive.
In a prepared statement, Joe Petta, a Con Ed spokesperson, said, “Several streets around Con Edison’s East River complex were closed following the September 11 terrorist attack and have remained closed for security and because of ongoing construction. We have been working closely with both the New York City Police Department and the Department of Transportation in support of continuing these street closings for security reasons.”
Petta said further questions should be directed to the Police Department’s Counter-terrorism Unit.
Stetzer said an environmental assessment statement will be issued for the plan in mid-August with a 30-day comment period, after which it will be determined if there needs to be an environmental impact statement for the closings. She said it’s inconvenient for the comment period to be scheduled in August when the board doesn’t meet, and that the board in September will consider issuing a recommendation calling for an end to comment periods when community boards don’t meet.
She said the community is bound to be very upset about the closings. “The community board will be working with elected officials to figure out the community response,” she said.
