Riverkeeper, Politicos Request Probe into $900M Power Plant’s Permits

The CPV Valley Energy Center is a 680-megawatt natural gas power plant in Orange County, NY.

GOSHEN, NY—Environmental group Riverkeeper and Orange County-based politicians are requesting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to either suspend or revoke permits for a completed nearly $1-billion power plant project that has become embroiled in a corruption scandal.

Ossining, NY-based Riverkeeper sent a letter on April 6 to New York State DEC commissioner Basil Seggos and other DEC officials calling for an investigation into the state permits received by Competitive Power Ventures for its $900-million 680-megawatt natural gas-fired CPV Valley Energy Center plant in Wawayanda. Riverkeeper states that it believes that Competitive Power Ventures should be deemed “an unsuitable entity to hold permits in New York” and that the DEC should therefore either revoke or suspend its state permits. Other signatories to the letter were: Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, State Assembly members Aileen Gunther and James Skoufis.