tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196390772024-03-13T11:37:31.365-04:00Fault LinesThe Greater Utica BlogStrikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.comBlogger1479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-50846272931763597712022-12-16T10:28:00.003-05:002022-12-16T10:28:43.144-05:00Poly has Flown the Coup! Now What?<p> </p>By now it should be clear that it was a huge mistake by our local leaders to latch onto the high tech "shiny object" and combine what was becoming a pretty solid local institution focused on Utica/Mohawk Valley's higher-education needs, SUNY Institute of Technology, with Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to create a 2 campus "SUNY Poly." <div><br /></div><div><b>Simply, you cannot serve two masters. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Since Albany is the seat of government with the political clout that comes with it, it was inevitable that the Utica campus, at some point, would get short shrift. </div><div><br /></div><div>There needs to be a complete split between these two campuses -- faculties, councils, foundations, etc. -- to recreate the separate institutions that they were before the merger. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Until there is a complete split, there will always be those running the Utica campus who would want to close it entirely and send all its resources to Albany.</b> That would waste literally DECADES of local efforts to expand higher education opportunities locally. </div><div><br /></div><div>Only After a complete split is done should the Utica institution plot its new direction. </div><div><br /></div><div>My opinion: Utica/Mohawk Valley needs high tech programs more than ever to support and retain Danfoss and Wolfspeed as developing businesses here -- otherwise decades of local efforts and taxpayer investments would be threatened. An Independent Poly Utica should develop these programs on its own -- even to the point of competing with Albany if necessary -- which is why a complete split with SUNY Albany is essential.
</div>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-15710228189114673152022-10-03T09:50:00.001-04:002022-10-03T09:50:21.019-04:00Follow the Science?<p>Follow the science? "Peer review" apparently can't be relied upon to protect the public from junk. </p><p>From <a href="https://retractionwatch.com/" target="_blank">Retraction Watch</a>:</p><p><a href="https://retractionwatch.com/2022/09/28/exclusive-hindawi-and-wiley-to-retract-over-500-papers-linked-to-peer-review-rings/" target="_blank">Hindawi and Wiley to retract over 500 papers linked to peer review rings</a></p>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-26401392427820185582022-02-19T07:46:00.002-05:002022-02-19T07:49:59.456-05:00Rise in Deaths of Adolescent Males in the UK . . . and another "Fact-Check"<p> From HARTgroup <a href="https://www.hartgroup.org/recent-deaths-in-young-people-in-england-and-wales/?fbclid=IwAR3UmYAKE3F6Nm7lc0DUGcmGtcotR764zlG1zC4U6gULiHaLSHaZ2oY9f8w">https://www.hartgroup.org/recent-deaths-in-young-people-in-england-and-wales/</a></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i> "Mortality has risen in younger age groups since 1st May 2021. The increase in the 15-19 year old age group is particularly noticeable, especially as deaths in this age group are uncommon. The excess deaths have a marked male predominance. An increase in ambulance call outs for patients who have had a cardiac arrest or are unconscious showed a coincidental noticeable rise from May 2021. The period also coincides with the rollout of vaccination. Finally, ONS have reported on a striking rise in age adjusted mortality rates in those with only one dose that accelerated in May 2021 to levels far exceeding those in the unvaccinated.</i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i><br />"Although there may be a number of explanations for these findings, further investigation of the cause of these deaths is warranted. " </i></p><p style="text-align: left;"> An article similar to the above was "Fact-Checked" by AP under the headline "<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-818000433358">Articles misrepresent data on teen deaths in the UK</a>" </p><p style="text-align: left;">The "Fact-Check" (insofar as it might apply to the Article posted above)<b> falsely </b>claims that "Articles misrepresent data on teen deaths in the UK." However, the Fact-Check admits that</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>" ... it’s true that there were more teen deaths in summer 2021 than summer 2020 in the U.K. ..."</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> so <b>there was no misrepresentation of data.</b><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The "Fact-Check" also <b>falsely</b> claims there is "no evidence" to support a claim that vaccines caused the teenagers to die. However, <b>the temporal relationship IS evidence even though it is not enough evidence to prove causation.</b> (Correlation does not prove causation.)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Insofar as the "Fact-Check" might apply to the The HARTgroup article above, the "Fact-Check" also misrepresents the article as claiming the vaccines caused the deaths. It did not. The HARTgroup article makes no claim of causation, but concludes that <b>further investigation is warranted</b>.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>INDEED!</b><br /></p>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-19958962551653071502021-12-06T09:10:00.003-05:002021-12-06T09:10:49.005-05:00Some Interesting Stats, an Old Article, and New Commentary . . .<p> Compare these stats for the USA and some Western European countries with Nigeria and Taiwan and note where there are dramatic differences . . . </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jMBEqhMtxU0/Ya4PfQ5_a9I/AAAAAAAABu4/vqwN2NboCDMlyAqP1SFv_lqdC_xF_shuQCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="681" height="233" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jMBEqhMtxU0/Ya4PfQ5_a9I/AAAAAAAABu4/vqwN2NboCDMlyAqP1SFv_lqdC_xF_shuQCNcBGAsYHQ/w684-h233/image.png" width="684" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Here is an Old Article (this past April) from Taiwan: <a href="https://taiwanenglishnews.com/taiwan-fda-distributing-hydroxychloroquine-for-free-after-who-declares-it-ineffective-for-covid-treatment/" target="_blank">Taiwan FDA distributing Hydroxychloroquine for free after WHO declares it ineffective for COVID treatment</a></p><p>... And some New Commentary (Yesterday) from Dr. Ben Carson on Sunday Morning Futures: <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/fox-news-ben-carson-says-there-should-be-less-emphasis-vaccines-and-more" target="_blank">On Fox News, Ben Carson says there should be less emphasis on vaccines and more on hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin</a></p><p>Dr. Carson thinks our officials have "tunnel vision" with their focus on vaccines and exclusion of alternatives.</p><p>I think it's something else.</p><p><b>What do you think?</b></p>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-30847500452854109072021-12-02T13:09:00.004-05:002021-12-02T13:09:48.652-05:00Parrots, Sitting on their Perches, Fixing Nothing . . . It's alarming to read that <a href="https://www.wktv.com/content/news/Coronavirus-numbers-by-county-Dec-1-2021-575844421.html" target="_blank">New Covid Cases have climbed to almost 250 per day here in Oneida County</a> while hospitalizations are now at 92. (That's a lot of patients in an area that has only a few hundred hospital beds!) <div><br /></div><div>More alarming is government's response: Deny medical treatment to others (Hochul/Cuomo's denial of "elective" procedures), and more parroting of the national government's vaccine-pushing and demonization of the unvaccinated -- ignoring that a significant percentage of those now being hospitalized are also vaccinated (about 1/3 locally) . Vaccines can't help someone already diagnosed with Covid.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What can be done to keep the newly-diagnosed out of the hospital? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a recent study for one well-known drug: <a href="https://journals.lww.com/americantherapeutics/fulltext/2021/08000/ivermectin_for_prevention_and_treatment_of.7.aspx" target="_blank">Ivermectin for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis to Inform Clinical Guidelines</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div><b><i>"Conclusions: </i></b></div></div><div><div><b><i>Moderate-certainty evidence finds that large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin. Using ivermectin early in the clinical course may reduce numbers progressing to severe disease. The apparent safety and low cost suggest that ivermectin is likely to have a significant impact on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic globally."</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are now and have been other similar professional papers (even going back to the beginning of the pandemic) recommending this and other drugs for early-disease intervention. These drugs have been proven safe over many years use for other ailments, however they are now severely restricted or demonized by government officials, insurance companies and media. We can only speculate on the reasons why, but it clearly is not based on "science." </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The restrictions and demonizations need to stop and officials responsible for protecting the public health need to stop ignoring these treatments or pretending that they don't exist. Doing so in the middle of a pandemic is immoral. </b></div>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-18964680842471646142021-08-26T20:53:00.006-04:002021-08-27T10:41:50.193-04:00Deconstruction of Another Fact Check: Death Rates for Vaccinated vs Unvaccinated for a Covid Variant.<img src="https://c.pxhere.com/images/86/7e/fa43275bd8abacde350805cb6379-1608813.jpg!d" srcset="https://c.pxhere.com/images/86/7e/fa43275bd8abacde350805cb6379-1608813.jpg!d" alt="covid 19, coronavirus, covid, cell, pandemic, corona virus, organism, water, plant, fungus, Free Images In PxHere" height="100" width="200" align="left"><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> This is another Reuters' "Fact-Check" that I happened to run across while researching something else:</span></p><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-delta-vaccinated/fact-check-claim-that-vaccinated-people-are-six-times-more-likely-to-die-from-the-delta-variant-than-those-who-are-unvaccinated-is-misleading-idUSL2N2OD2CJ" target="_blank">Fact Check-Claim that vaccinated people are six times more likely to die from the Delta variant than those who are unvaccinated is misleading</a>"</span></b></i></p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #313132; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>"Social media posts have claimed that those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine are more [sic] six times more likely to die from being infected by variants than those who have not been inoculated. While the data was indeed taken from a Public Health England (PHE) briefing held in June, it was taken out of context."</i></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reuters then links to several blog posts that make the claim. (Follow the links provided in Reuters' fact-check if you want to read the original claims -- two are provided in the last section of this post below.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Unlike </b>the <a href="http://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2021/02/deconstruction-of-fact-check-or-fact.html" target="_blank">last Reuters fact-check reviewed</a> in this blog, this time <b>Reuters fairly characterized the "six times" claim in the blog</b> <b>posts</b>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">However, like the last fact-check reviewed, <b>Reuters, again,</b> <b>confirmed all the salient data in the blog posts. </b>In particular ...<b> </b></span></p><p></p><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"Referring to data compiled by Public Health England (PHE) in a technical briefing released on June 18 regarding the SARS-CoV-2 variants (<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/994839/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_16.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>), the authors of the blogs make several calculations.</span></i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> "On page 12 of the briefing, it shows that 26 people have died since February 1 after testing positive for the Delta variant of the virus, having also been fully vaccinated for more than two weeks. In total, 4,087 tested positive more than two weeks after their second dose. Meanwhile, 35,521 people who were unvaccinated tested positive for the Delta variant and 34 people died.</span></i></p><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"The authors then divide the number of deaths by the total number of people who tested positive for the Delta variant and found the rate of death to be 0.000957 for unvaccinated individuals and 0.00636 for those who have been inoculated."</span></i></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reuters does not claim that the source data is wrong. Nor does it claim that the mathematical calculations are wrong. You can check the math yourself. Nothing is wrong with it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>A DELTA VARIANT DEATH RATE OF 0.00636 FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE IS INDEED BETWEEN 6 AND 7 TIMES THE </b><b> DELTA VARIANT </b><b>DEATH RATE OF 0.000957 FOR UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Math is a form of logic.</b> (Some call it "critical thinking.") <b>Since the math is correct, and the data is correct, then the conclusion reached </b><b>(as restated above) </b><b>based upon that data has to be both logical and correct. </b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does Reuters say?</span></p><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><b>"</b><b>The logic is flawed, </b></i><i>however, and PHE told Reuters that two doses of the vaccine has shown “high levels” of protection against the Delta variant....</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>"</i><i>“The analysis presented is very misleading and ignores the fact that deaths predominantly occur in older age groups who have had much higher vaccination coverage,” Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at Norwich Medical School told Reuters over email . . .</i> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">""The figures in the blog posts lack context, Dr Muge Cevik, clinical lecturer in infectious diseases and medical virology at the University of St Andrews, told Reuters by email. . . .</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"“When most people are vaccinated, most infections and deaths are expected to be among those vaccinated,” she added.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"The vaccination program also prioritised [sic]“clinically vulnerable” individuals, and thus the majority of those vaccinated will “disproportionately represent elderly and those with underlying comorbidities, who are already at significant risk of hospitalisation and death,” Dr Cevik, said. ...</span></i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"The overall rate of infection is much less in vaccinated populations, which “indicates that vaccination is working,” Dr Shamaila Anwar, science communicator with Team Halo, told Reuters ..."</span></i></p></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reuters also has several other people making comments on various aspects of the vaccination program, and reaches its ultimate:</span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span> </span><span> "VERDICT</span></i> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"Missing context. Vaccinated people are not at higher risk of dying from the Delta variant than those who are unvaccinated . . ." </span></i></div></blockquote><p><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If you read all the statements Reuters presents to make its case, NONE of them state that "Vaccinated people are not at a higher risk of dying from the Delta variant than those who are unvaccinated." </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b><span>Fault Line's Verdict on the Reuters Fact-Check: FALSE.</span></b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Basically Reuters is trying to compare Apples to Oranges and does not really address the issue. Although Reuters implies that older ages of the persons in the study could have lead to a faulty conclusion, Reuters failed to present any alternative data and/or calculations to demonstrate that a different conclusion on the risk of death for vaccinated vs unvaccinated could be reached.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reuters entirely failed to present any evidence to support the factual assertion made in its so-called "verdict." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Since Reuters cited no flaw in the Bloggers' math, nor any flaw in the data cited, and since Reuters failed to produce its own evidence to directly refute the Bloggers' calculations, Reuters statement that the Bloggers were "Missing Context" is false.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Why is this important?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>The two main blog posts cited and archived by Reuters, "<a href="https://archive.fo/nF2fM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DC Clothesline</a>," and "<a href="https://archive.fo/yQAi3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifesite</a>" both raise a question whether or not the higher risk of death for vaccinated persons for the Delta variant is evidence that Antibody Dependent Enhancement (ADE) is occurring. Per Lifesite, "</span><span>ADE blighted previous attempts at coronavirus vaccines and frequently resulted in enhanced lung disease among vaccinated lab animals" and "</span><span>led researchers in 2012 to advise scientists to proceed with “caution” for any human coronavirus vaccines which could lead to enhanced lung disease." Lifesite also indicated that ADE could "</span><span>activate other sleeping infections in the vaccinated person such as herpes virus, creating symptoms of Bell’s palsy or shingles" and might even "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">accelerate the rate at which the vaccine-resistant mutant strains become dominant among all the SARS-Co-V2 [coronavirus] strains.”</span><span> </span></span></p><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Reuters "Fact-Check" failed to even mention let alone address these concerns. If ADE is occurring, it would mean that the vaccine could actually be causing harm. Any "fact-check" on this issue really needs to address the ADE issue.</span></b></div><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-45387318602195554152021-02-28T07:55:00.002-05:002021-02-28T08:02:10.067-05:00Deconstruction of a "Fact Check" --- or "Fact-checking a Fact-Checker"<p>Are "Fact Checkers" reliable, or are they no better than those they are "fact-checking?" </p><p>A friend sent me the following article: <a href="https://www.naturalnews.com/2021-02-16-elderly-population-suddenly-dying-off-for-unexplained-reasons.html" target="_blank">Elderly population suddenly dying off for unexplained reasons, and it’s no longer coded as covid-19 – NaturalNews.com</a></p><p>Per the article: <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>"Around the world, medical authorities are seeing a spike in elderly deaths, after covid-19 vaccination. Gibraltar, a nation located at the southern tip of Spain, is suffering from an unexplained surge in elderly deaths. In the second week of January, a subset of the elderly population suddenly started to die off. ...</i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>"Before the vaccine experiment began, the covid-19 related death toll accounted for ten people. After the vaccine rollout, the total number of deaths had skyrocketed to forty-five people. In the first eight days of the vaccination program, thirty-five seniors suddenly passed away.". </i><br /></p><p>Not familiar with "NaturalNews.com" I did a search of what for me were the key elements of the story: a surge in deaths following the Covid vaccine in Gibraltar. I eventually found this article in <i>Reuters</i>: <br /></p><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-gibraltar-deaths-idUSKBN2A22CC" target="_blank">Fact check: Vaccine not linked to COVID-19 deaths in Gibraltar</a>. Per the article: </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>"The claim that coronavirus deaths in Gibraltar have been caused by the vaccine, not the virus, has been shared on social media. This claim is false."</i> <br /></p><p>Reuters then linked to two Facebook posts (which had the Facebook "False Information" flag attached) and recited the offending language:</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>“Gibraltar is 2.6 square miles in size. On 6th January they had only 10 covid deaths in total. The vaccine arrived to the island on 10th January. By 20th of January there were 53 deaths. Today worldometer is showing that there are now 70 deaths. SEVENTY!! Why is no one talking about Gibraltar?”</i> <br /></p><p><b>Observation 1: Reuters misconstrued the social media posts</b>. <br /></p><p> Do you see a claim in the quote above that the vaccine caused the deaths? It's not there!<br /></p><p><b>Observation 2: </b> <b>Reuters confirmed <i>all</i> the salient information in the social media posts while claiming them to be false.</b> <br /></p><p>Specifically it confirmed that the vaccine program had begun in Gibraltar on January 10, 2021, that as of that date 16 Covid deaths had been record, that by the 20th the deaths had increased to 53, and that 7 days later they had increased to 70.</p><p><b>Observation 3: Reuters then falsely claimed "But there is no evidence whatsoever that these deaths are linked to the roll out of the vaccine."</b> <br /></p><p>But there IS evidence: the close following of the surge in deaths to the commencement of the vaccine program links the two together in time. Although this evidence is clearly <b>insufficient to prove</b> a causal relationship, it WAS sufficient to both cause (1) the social media posts and (2) Reuters to read into the social media posts a statement of causal relationship that was not there. </p><p><b>Observation 4: Reuters then offers, without evidence, two alternative theories to explain the surge in deaths.</b></p><p>Reuters states that "The increase appears to be part of an upward trend that started before the first vaccine dose was administered." After lying to us three times, why should we accept this claim without any data to support it? None is presented. </p><p>Reuters goes on to allege that per government officials, 6 people "appear to have caught Covid-19 before they were vaccinated ... Despite testing for COVID-19 before vaccination, the infection had not been detected in them at the time they were vaccinated, but in the days immediately after.” The "appearance" of an infection before the vaccination is a speculative opinion, not a fact.<br /></p><p><b>Observation 5: The Reuters headline "Vaccine not linked to Covid-19 Deaths in Gibraltar" is deliberately misleading because it can be read in two different ways</b>: </p><p>(1) The vaccine did not cause the deaths in Gibraltar; or (2) No one has proven a link between the Deaths and the Vaccine.
The first is unproven. The second only has meaning if a diligent search for a connection had been made -- which is not in evidence.</p><p><b>Verdict on the Reuters Fact Check: FALSE. </b> </p><p><b>The fact-check, by what is usually considered to be a reliable news source, contains three lies, presents alternative theories without evidence, and presents a misleading headline. The social media posts, which merely cite undisputed facts that prompted a question, are more credible!</b></p><p>(Because the Fact Check confirmed a surge in deaths following the vaccine rollout in Gibraltar, it tended to support some of what was in the Natural News article that initially piqued my interest.) <br /></p>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-66625177682964076612021-01-11T09:28:00.011-05:002021-01-16T11:15:30.660-05:00Capitol Riot: Connect These Dots -- and Tell Me what you Think<p>1) <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/the-department/our-history" target="_blank">Capitol Police</a>: "[T]<span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #faf9f9; color: #262525; font-size: 14px;">he responsibility of policing the Capitol [is] under the direction of the presiding officer of the House and Senate"</span> </p><p>2) <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/533564-capitol-police-warned-by-fbi-nypd-of-risk-of-violence-at-capitol">Capitol Police warned by FBI, NYPD of risk of violence at Capitol: report</a></p><p>3) <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/07/unacceptable-probe-demanded-after-footage-shows-capitol-police-standing-aside-pro" target="_blank">'Unacceptable!': Probe Demanded After Footage Shows Capitol Police Standing Aside for Pro-Trump Mob</a></p><p>4) <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/news/533584-outgoing-capitol-police-chief-accuses-house-senate-security-officials-of" target="_blank">Outgoing Capitol Police chief accuses House, Senate security officials of hindering efforts to call in National Guard</a></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
"Sund told The Washington Post in an interview published Sunday night – his first since the events at the Capitol Wednesday — that he asked House and Senate security officials in the days before Congress was set to count the Electoral College votes to allow him to request the D.C. National Guard to be on standby in case troops were needed ahead of the pro-Trump protests. </blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"> </blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"> "But Sund, who was officially replaced as Capitol Police chief on Friday after his resignation, told tthe newspaper that the officials denied the request."</div></blockquote><p>5) <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/newly-declassified-fbi-materials-demonstrate-clear-double-standard-for-clinton-trump-campaigns" target="_blank">The FBI failed to give a "defensive briefing" to the Trump Campaign</a> of possible foreign influence during the 2016 election while it gave such a briefing to the Clinton Campaign. (added 1/11/21)</p><p>6) <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/video-analysis-of-ashli-babbit-video-suggests-coordinated-actions-interview-with-masako_3652783.html" target="_blank">Non-Trump supporters may have been present</a>. (added 1/12/21)</p><p>7) <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment.html" target="_blank">McConnell is said to be pleased about impeachment, believing it will be easier to purge Trump from the G.O.P.</a> (added 1/12/21)</p><p>8) <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capitol-riot-fbi-intelligence/2021/01/12/30d12748-546b-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html" target="_blank">FBI report warned of ‘war’ at Capitol, contradicting claims there was no indication of looming violence</a> (compare with #2,4) (added 1/12/21)</p><p>9) <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/08/fbi-says-no-indication-that-antifa-took-part-in-us-capitol-riot.html" target="_blank">FBI says there is ‘no indication’ that antifa took part in U.S. Capitol riot</a> (added 1/13/21)</p><p>10) <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-archive-bdd3b6078e9efadcfcd0be4b65f2362e" target="_blank">FBI director says antifa is an ideology, not an organization</a> (added 1/13/21)</p><p>11) <a href="https://www.dickmorris.com/impeachment-goal-ban-trump-in-2024-lunch-alert" target="_blank">Dick Morris: Impeachment Goal: Ban Trump In 2024</a> (added 1/14/21) </p><p><b>Connect these dots and tell me what you think. If you have additional info that might change the conclusion, post a link.</b> </p><p>MARK LEVIN CONNECTED THE DOTS!</p><p>12) <a href="https://rumble.com/vcsczv-mark-levin-theres-no-evidence-of-trump-inciting-an-insurrection.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Levin: There's No Evidence Of Trump Inciting An Insurrection</a> (added 1/16/21)</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">The new bit of info from this monologue is that Trump and his Secret Service detail were never told of the likelihood of violence. That would be consistent with #5 above to show a political motive (my opinion).</p></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-30275440280106944612020-04-30T13:43:00.002-04:002020-04-30T13:45:39.844-04:00Michael Moore Finally Gets Something Right!<b>I never thought I'd recommend anything presented by Michael Moore, but here it is! </b><br />
<br />
At 1 hour 40 minutes it is rather long for a You Tube documentary, but it is both compelling and informative.<br />
<br />
While I disagree with the statement near the end that "we" are "destroying the planet" (because that varies with who, when, how and where) and the implications that we must have population control (a 50 year old idea discredited by time) and an end to capitalism (which has nothing to do with environmental protection) the effort to expose at least <i>some</i> of the negative aspects of so-called "green energy" makes this a MUST SEE MOVIE!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zk11vI-7czE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-31835854044264761492020-04-15T11:20:00.002-04:002020-04-15T11:20:31.889-04:00Leading -- or Dictating? According to WKTV last night: <a href="https://www.wktv.com/content/news/Coronavirus-attacks-hospital-revenues-569638611.html">"MVHS MAY LOSE UP TO $31 MILLION AS CORONAVIRUS ATTACKS HOSPITAL REVENUES"</a><br />
<br />
<i>"The coronavirus could threaten the paychecks of the very frontline healthcare workers caring for the sick. Hospitals nationwide have had to furlough workers, in order to deal with a lack of elective surgeries, and subsequent loss of millions of dollars."</i>
<br />
<br />
Why is there a lack of elective surgeries? <a href="https://wnbf.com/cuomo-all-elective-surgeries-in-new-york-state-to-be-canceled/" target="_blank">On March 22, 2020, Governor Cuomo cancelled all elective surgeries in the state.</a><br />
<br />
This financial mess is the Direct Result of the governor going way beyond his ken in determining that hospitals could not do "elective" surgeries.<br />
<br />
What is "elective" vs "necessary" is both <b>a matter of opinion and something that would change with the changing conditions/needs of a community</b>. I don't think that a person with, e.g., a herniated disc would consider his operation "elective."<br />
<br />
<b>The decision of what procedures to allow should be left to the treating doctors and hospitals which are closest to the patients and what is happening in their communities. </b><br />
<br />
The president sent the hospital ship Comfort to NYC to assist the hospitals there to keep up with their non-Covid case load. However, because of the governor's edict, that ship sits empty, as are most hospitals across Upstate NY.<br />
<br />
<b>Empty hospital beds are a waste of resources. </b><br />
<br />
Simply put, the Covid-19 caseload is not here yet. Many of these "elective" patients will be in and out before that arrives.<br />
<br />
<b>The governor's actions have both prevented people from getting treatments that they need while imposing unacceptable and unnecessary financial burdens on hospitals and their staffs.</b><br />
<br />
<b> There is a difference between leading and dictating. This situation is the result of the latter. </b>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-20202842442259355892019-11-20T12:15:00.000-05:002019-11-21T13:56:09.813-05:00Our Corruption is More Acceptable than Your Corruption . . . and Mr. Zlochevskiy's Brilliance ... The Ukraine situation has become so controversial and complicated that timelines have been posted on-line to help the public understand the situation (or lead the public to a particular conclusion, depending on one's perspective).<br />
<br />
I found a useful <a href="https://www.justsecurity.org/66271/timeline-trump-giuliani-bidens-and-ukrainegate/" target="_blank">timeline posted at JustSecurity.Org</a> and jotted down my thoughts (both on the situation and on the timeline's wording) to clarify things in my own mind. I only looked at the period from early 2014 through April 4, 2016, because that was enough to digest. Please look at the original timeline because my interpretation of events might be slightly different from theirs.<br />
<br />
To set the stage: By March, 2014, under the Obama administration, Russia had invaded and annexed Ukrainian territory (the Crimea and portions of eastern Ukraine); Ukraine had a reputation as being a corrupt place; and Burisma was Ukraine's largest private oil and gas extracting company. Mykola Zlochevskiy, who may be considered an oligarch, was Burisma's founder and majority shareholder. He had also held various high-level Ukraine government posts.<br />
<br />
April 2014: The United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office blocks the bank accounts of Mykola Zlochevskiy, who was suspected of corruption during the ousted pro-Russia Yanukovych regime. Under a commitment made to the Ukraine government to recover assets allegedly stolen out of the country, the US had investigators work on the case against Mr. Zlochevskiy with Ukrainian investigators.<br />
<br />
Also April 2014: Hunter Biden, son of then-US Vice-President Joe Biden (who was the US "point man" on Ukraine policy), <b><i>"joins"</i></b> Burisma's board of directors after having been discharged from the Navy just months earlier for testing positive for cocaine. Per Burisma Holdings, Hunter Biden was placed “in charge of the Holdings’ legal unit ..."<br />
<b></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><b>"Joins?" People don't just "join" a board - they are appointed by the shareholders. And since Mr. Zlochevskiy was the majority shareholder, Mr. Zlochevskiy put Hunter Biden on his board.</b></b></li>
<li><b><b>Since US investigators were involved, why would Zlochevskiy's appointment of the then-VP's son NOT have a "chilling effect" on their desire to investigate Zlochevskiy? </b></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
May - June 2014: Petro Poroshenko succeeds to the Ukrainian presidency following election on a platform of turning Ukraine back to the West.<br />
<br />
August 2014: Ukrainian Prosecutor General Vitaly Yarema opens an investigation of Zlochevskiy.<br />
<br />
October 2014: Under pressure from the US and "other international backers," the Ukraine Parliament establishes the "National Anti-Corruption Bureau" (NABU) in exchange for financial aid.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Given the Ukraine's bad reputation, the US and "other international backers" had reason to be concerned that their aid might be frittered away by corruption. However, should it not be acknowledged that the insistence on NABU's creation was, to some degree, dictating how Ukraine was to run its internal affairs?</b></li>
</ul>
February 2015: Then US "senior anti-corruption coordinator" George Kent <i><b>"scolded"</b></i> a prosecutor from Yarema's office for having "shut the criminal case" against Zlochevsky.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Does the US scolding of a lower-level Ukrainian prosecutor, bother you? </b></li>
<li><b>If you were that Ukranian prosecutor, would the fact that VP Biden's son continued as a high-level hire of Zlochevskiy send a conflicting message, at least insofar as an investigation of Zlochevskiy/Burisma is concerned?</b></li>
</ul>
Later in February 2015: Yarema was replaced by Viktor Shokin as Ukraine's Prosecutor General.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>One prosecutor knocked off. Score one victory for Zlochevskiy.</b></li>
</ul>
September 24, 2015: Then-US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt "as part of a regular drumbeat by U.S. and other Western leaders, including Vice President Biden," <i><b>"excoriates" </b></i>officials in then Shokin's office for "stymying anti-corruption investigations" and specifically called for the termination of officials who had sent letters to Zlochevskiy's attorneys attesting there was no case against him.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>If a letter of "no case" was sent to Zlochevskiy's attorneys, would Hunter Biden, as a hire of Zlochevskiy in charge of Burisma Holdings' legal unit, have had some involvement with it? </b></li>
<li><b>Do the US Ambassador's demand for termination of Ukraine officials, and his alleged interest in how the Zlochevsky case was handled, bother you as meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs? </b></li>
<li><b>Again, did the fact that then-VP Biden's son continued as a high-level hire of Zlochevskiy send a message conflicting with VP Biden's public statements?</b></li>
<li><b>Score a second victory for Zlochevskiy in getting letters out of the Ukraine government stating Ukraine had no case against him.</b></li>
</ul>
October 8, 2015: Then-U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland states that “the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has to be reinvented as an institution that serves the citizens of Ukraine, rather than ripping them off ... including locking up dirty personnel in the PGO itself.”<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Why/How is it Ms. Nuland's business to determine what "serves the citizens of Ukraine?" Isn't that "<b>the citizens of Ukraine"</b> decision through their electoral process? At this point was the US 'helping' Ukraine combat corruption, or meddling in its internal affairs?</b></li>
</ul>
December 8, 2015: Then-VP Biden addresses the Ukraine Parliament, calling for reform of the Prosecutor General's office, arguing that "Oligarchs and non-oligarchs must play by the same rules," and noting the US' provision of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Again, did the fact that then-VP Biden's son continued in the employ of and received pay from Zlochevsky, an oligarch, send a conflicting message? </b> </li>
</ul>
February 2016: Then-VP Biden pressures Ukrainian President Poroshenko to get rid of Prosecutor General Shokin, allegedly because Shokin was not pursuing corruption cases vigorously enough in the view of "virtually everyone" in US government "and other Western Nations," and that <b>the US would not extend a $1Billion loan guarantee until Shokin was removed from office</b>."JustSecurity.Org" notes that the investigation of Zlochevskiy's company had been "dormant," and that a "leading Ukrainian anti-corruption advocate" claimed that Shokin "didn't want to investigate Burisma" and was fired for that reason.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Why wouldn't investigation of Zlochevskiy's Burisma lie dormant as long as Hunter Biden was in charge of its legal unit, and the then-VP Biden had apparent control over vital US aid to Ukraine? </b></li>
<li><b>Would anyone in Ukraine's government want to risk the hundreds of millions in US aid cited by then-VP Biden by taking an action that could lead to his son losing an almost 7-figure-a-year job?</b></li>
<li><b>Score a third victory for Zlochevskiy in a second prosecutor getting fired. </b></li>
</ul>
On April 4, 2016: George Kent, then charge d'Affairs in Kiev wrote a letter to the Ukraine Deputy Prosecutor General demanding that his office <b>stop harassing</b> entities and individuals<b> with investigations</b> based on their having been involved in US-supported anti-corruption projects.<b> </b>JustSecurity.Org claims that The Hill's <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/435906-us-embassy-pressed-ukraine-to-drop-probe-of-george-soros-group-during-2016" target="_blank">John Solomon later </a>"twists" this "to make it look like the Embassy was trying to suppress investigations."<b> </b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>But there <i>were</i> "investigations" being conducted by the PGO -- just not the ones desired by the then-US government. Kent's letter, therefore, lends credence to <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/435906-us-embassy-pressed-ukraine-to-drop-probe-of-george-soros-group-during-2016" target="_blank">Solomon's story</a> that </b><b><b>the last US administration did not want the </b></b><b><b><b>"Anti-Corruption Action Centre" (Ant-AC)</b> investigated</b>. (Ant-AC is, apparently, a joint venture between various US officials spending US taxpayer money and George Soros.) </b></li>
<li><b>While there was a US concern over "corruption" by Ukrainian oligarchs, the Ukrainians, via their then-duly elected government, seem to have had greater concern over corruption fostered by US and other foreign entities' meddling in Ukrainian affairs. </b></li>
</ul>
To sum up:<br />
<br />
The above timeline demonstrates that Mr. Zlochevskiy made a<b> brilliant </b>move by hiring the then-US VP's son for his company's board, because the "appearance of impropriety" was followed by (1) a lack of interest in investigating Zlochevskiy/Burisma and (2) essentially a letter of exoneration from the Ukranian government. <b>The fact that then-VP Biden did nothing to cure the "appearance of impropriety" (and there were many things that he could have easily done) speaks volumes.</b><br />
<br />
<b>The above timeline also demonstrates a shocking involvement of the then-US government and "other international backers" in the Ukraine's internal affairs, justifying the PGO's investigation of entities and individuals involved in US-supported "anti-corruption projects." </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="color: red;"><b>The "cognitive dissonance" of US officials criticizing Ukraine for not going after Zlochevskiy/Burisma, while the then-VP's son continued in the employ of </b><b>Zlochevskiy/Burisma, would be a potent distraction from what the Obama Administration plus "other international backers" were doing in Ukraine via the Ant-AC organization.</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b><b><span style="color: red;">There is plenty that went on in the Ukraine, including actions by US officials - many of whom continued in office under the Trump administration, that needs investigating.</span> </b><br />
<br />
<br />Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-19077260516216220212019-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:002019-01-21T09:42:57.020-05:00Part IV. The SEQRA Process & Conclusion - Downtown Hospital DEIS<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f4f4d7; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Comments on the <a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Downtown Hospital Draft Environmental Impact Statement</a> (Draft EIS). </span></b><span style="background-color: #f4f4d7; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The Applicant is Mohawk Valley Health System. The Project is the proposed Hospital. SEQRA is the State Environmental Quality Review Act.</span><br />
<br />
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; page-break-before: always;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Part
IV. The SEQRA Process & Conclusion:</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
SEQRA process is set forth in</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2015/env/article-8/"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">ENV
</span></u></span></a><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2015/env/article-8/"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Articl</span></u></span></a><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2015/env/article-8/"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">e
8</span></u></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
and </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">its
implementing regulatons, </span></span><a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Browse/Home/NewYork/NewYorkCodesRulesandRegulations?guid=Ifb3e6cb0b5a011dda0a4e17826ebc834&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=Default&contextData="><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">6
NYCRR </span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Browse/Home/NewYork/NewYorkCodesRulesandRegulations?guid=Ifb3e6cb0b5a011dda0a4e17826ebc834&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=Default&contextData=">Part
617</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">(State
Environmental Quality Review, SEQR)</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
described in the <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/permits_ej_operations_pdf/seqrhandbook.pdf">SEQR
Handbook </a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(p.3)
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">:
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ul><div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>SEQR
establishes a process to systematically consider environmental
factors early in the planning stages of actions that are directly
undertaken, funded or approved by local, regional and state
agencies. By incorporating environmental review early in the
planning stages, projects can be modified as needed to avoid adverse
impacts on the environment.”</i></span></span></span></div>
</ul>
<div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
availability of State funds for the Project was announced in early
2015, the site for the Project was announced in September, 2015, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
we just got around to SEQR </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">in
2018</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">when
the Oneida County Industrial Development Agency made a Positive
Declaration</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Does
that sound like “incorporating environmental review early in the
planning stages” so that “projects can be modified as needed to
avoid adverse impacts on the environment?” </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Why was SEQR not part of the planning of the Project from the very
beginning, including the choice of the site? </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
noted under Part I Section I, the site of a project is an appropriate
consideration </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">under
SEQR</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
and the State promulgated a non-exhaustive list of those actions
considered to have significant adverse impacts (6 NYCRR 617.7(c)(1)).
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
could have been used to </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">help
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">screen
or rank the sites – but </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">it
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">was
not. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">People
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">may</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
disagree with how the regulations were applied or sites ranked in
Part III above, however, the process only took a few hours. This
Project deserved at least that level of attention be</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ing</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
paid to the environmental consequences </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">site
selection</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
Most people would probably intuitively conclude that trying to
shoehorn a hospital </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">with
acres of parking </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">into
the middle of a Central Business District that was built for another
era, another style of development, and a different purpose would be
more disruptive to the environment </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">than</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
locating </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
hospital </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">on
a site that had enough room and had been </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">specifically
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">designed
for that use. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
is no surprise that the choice of site is </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">still
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
controversial topic after three years.</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For
a major project such as this, </span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2015/env/article-8/8-0109/">ENV
8-0109</a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
requires preparation of an EIS. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
regulations make clear that </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">government
agenc</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">y</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
cannot undertake, fund or approve </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">an
action until it has complied with the provisions of SEQR (see 6 NYCRR
617.3 (a)).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But
that is, in deed, what happened at least as far back as Summer 2016
when Oneida County put county employees, and Utica put city employees
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(the
Planning Board’s Staff)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
to the task of engaging in regular meetings with MVHS to help plan
for the Project at the Downtown Site, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">because
government employee time is money. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If
the applicability of SEQR and need for an EIS was not apparent to the
local authorities at that point in time, then it should have been
apparent when the County approved funding for MVEDGE to provide
property appraisal services for MVHS</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">aiding
the pursuit of the Downtown Site. The County should have stopped
further action and opened the SEQR process then, but it did not.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Nothing
was done about SEQR until there was an “application” that
triggered a review – but, as noted above, the law wants the
environment taken into consideration “</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">early
in the planning stages” so that “projects can be modified as
needed to avoid adverse impacts on the environment.” </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Here,
the</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
County and </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">City</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
had employees planning this project </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">without
the environmental information required by law. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
is a shame that so much time and money was spent on a flawed process.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">L</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ike
the Site Selection Process appears to have been tainted by undue
influence, the entire EIS appears tainted as well. People who have
personally invested their time toward securing the Project for
Downtown will have difficulty focus</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ing</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
on another site – </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">an
impossibility for those where the alternate site is in another
jurisdiction. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">t
this point in time the Planning Board is faced with </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(1)
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">an
EIS that cannot support a SEQR finding because St. Luke’s </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">appears
to be the</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
environmentally superior site </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
(2) having to give up jurisdiction because </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">it
has no legal authority in New Hartford</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
EIS must be rejected as inadequate, and the process reopened </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">for
a new Lead Agency </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">to
produce a revised Draft EIS that addresses all the open issues
identified herein. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-27470176766797185082019-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:002019-01-21T09:44:04.142-05:00Part III. Matrix St. Luke’s Campus vs Downtown (using regulatory environmental criteria) - Downtown Hospital DEIS<b>Comments on the <a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf">Downtown Hospital Draft Environmental Impact Statement</a> (Draft EIS). </b>The Applicant is Mohawk Valley Health System. The Project is the proposed Hospital.<br />
<br />
<b>Part
III. </b><b>Matrix St. Luke’s Campus vs Downtown</b><b> </b><b>(using<a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ec3ce62cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)&bhcp=1"> regulatory environmental criteria</a>)</b>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Limited to these two sites because Applicant cannot be made to consider a site it does not own/have under option – see 6 NYCRR <a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ec3ce68cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?originationContext=Search+Result&listSource=Search&viewType=FullText&navigationPath=Search%2Fv3%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fnavigation%2Fi0ad62d340000016161296e3dc0168453%3FstartIndex%3D1%26Nav%3DNYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW%26contextData%3D(sc.Default)&rank=2&list=NYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW&transitionType=SearchItem&contextData=(sc.Search)&t_querytext=6+CRR-NY+617.9&t_Method=WIN">617.9</a>(b)(5)(v) (‘g’))</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-32RhA1OcT80/XECHkAeaERI/AAAAAAAABXg/MC47F8MZ05Yn9uPgXIw3V9oileMaZLtqACLcBGAs/s1600/Matrix%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-32RhA1OcT80/XECHkAeaERI/AAAAAAAABXg/MC47F8MZ05Yn9uPgXIw3V9oileMaZLtqACLcBGAs/s640/Matrix%2B1.png" width="584" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lR6Cl8kfDc/XECHkYLIzOI/AAAAAAAABXk/K6b6CP6fxxMxeDxVkBOy7UzqcRoCWb1TgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Matrix%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="505" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lR6Cl8kfDc/XECHkYLIzOI/AAAAAAAABXk/K6b6CP6fxxMxeDxVkBOy7UzqcRoCWb1TgCEwYBhgL/s640/Matrix%2B2.png" width="538" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKOe4MlK1Kg/XECHkChpIBI/AAAAAAAABXs/WJY1gelXAF8bZC0iSgM1dW_EhSmwwKNagCEwYBhgL/s1600/Matrix%2B3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="503" height="530" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKOe4MlK1Kg/XECHkChpIBI/AAAAAAAABXs/WJY1gelXAF8bZC0iSgM1dW_EhSmwwKNagCEwYBhgL/s640/Matrix%2B3.png" width="640" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Summary
Conclusion on Matrix: </b></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Numerous
adverse environmental impacts as identified by State regulation or
law will be avoided or minimized by simply relocating the Project to
the St. Luke’s Campus.</b></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
(<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-iv-seqra-process-conclusion.html">continued</a>)
Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-59537488364138798782019-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:002019-01-18T07:41:25.501-05:00Part II. Relevant Environmental Concerns - Downtown Hospital DEIS<b>Comments on the <a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf">Downtown Hospital Draft Environmental Impact Statement</a> (Draft EIS). </b> The Applicant is Mohawk Valley Health System. The Project is the proposed Hospital.<br />
<br />
<b>II. Relevant Environmental Concerns</b><br />
<br />
<b>A. Impact on Land:</b> This topic is addressed in Draft EIS Section 3.1. Exposure to impacted soils
due to past urban use is recognized to be a concern. The EIS needs to acknowledge that this
concern could be mitigated by Relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus due to
the relative lack of prior development there.<br />
<br />
<b>B. Impact on Surface Water:</b> This topic is addressed in Draft EIS Sections 3.2 (Surface Water)
and 3.9 (Utilities). Section 3.2. acknowledges that segments of the Mohawk River and Barge
Canal down gradient from the Downtown site have impaired water quality, that runoff from the
site could impact surface water, and that certain measures can be employed to mitigate these
impacts. The following issues remain to be addressed, however:<br />
<br />
1.) Section 3.9 states that the new facility is expected to generate 187,000 gallons per day
(gpd) of waste water; however, it also states that facility average water demand will be 500
gallons per minute (gpm), which equals 720,000 gpd. The 533,000 gpd difference
between what is going into and what is coming out of the facility is unaccounted for,
suggesting that the facility could potentially generate as much as 720,000 gpd (500 gpm)
of waste water. Since that amount would be greater than the 360 gpm design flow that the
local Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) indicated it could accept (Draft EIS
p3525/3527), there is a potential violation of the Clean Water Act that needs to be
resolved.<br />
<br />
2.) Assuming that the POTW has sufficient capacity to handle the wastewater from the
facility, it is not clear from the Draft EIS that all the wastewater will reach the POTW due to
the combined sewers and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) that exist in the City of
Utica. As noted above, the facility will be a significant new source of waste water in Utica.
The route that the waste water will take from the facility to its ultimate disposition in the
environment needs to be identified and traced. The illustration of the sanitary sewers
proposed to serve the facility (Draft EIS p98/3527) does not show the ultimate disposition
point. If the facility’s wastewater at any point flows past a CSO, some of it could end up in
the River or Canal untreated, further impairing water quality, possibly causing a violation of
the Clean Water Act, and/or leading to a reclassification of the CSO as an illegal Sanitary
Sewer Overflow (SSO), which would lead to an environmental enforcement action against
the City of Utica. The EIS needs to clairify where the wastewater will wind up and
whether it would exacerbate water quality impairment.<br />
<br />
3.) Given the recent demolition of the Tartan Textile Building to make way for the Nexus
Sports Center, the sports-and-entertainment “U District” envisioned for the area next to the
Auditorium and across Oriskany Boulevard from the Project site is no longer speculation.
The potential generation of waste water and runoff from the U District needs to be
examined with all the above as a Cumulative Impact.<br />
<br />
4.) The Draft EIS fails to consider relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus
as mitigation. (a) The number of patient beds will be close to those currently/historically
on site, suggesting that the Project environmentally would be the replacement of an
existing facility on site with no new impacts other than construction/demolition. (b) The
federal wetland on-site naturally buffers surface water impacts. (c) Redirection of all
sanitary waste flows through the Sauquoit Creek Pump Station will mean that no untreated
waste will reach the River/Canal once current Consent Order work is completed. (d) There
are no pending large projects near by that would cause cumulative impacts.<br />
<br />
<b>C. Impact on Groundwater:</b> This topic is addressed in Draft EIS Section 3.3. The presence of
impacted groundwater from prior industrial uses is mentioned as a concern. The EIS needs to
acknowledge that this concern could be mitigated by Relocation of the Project to the St.
Luke’s Campus, due to the lack of prior industrial uses there.<br />
<br />
<b>D. Impact on Flooding:</b> This topic is inadequately addressed in Draft EIS Section 3.2.<br />
<br />
1.) On July 1, 2017, <a href="https://www.newyorkupstate.com/weather/2017/07/watch_flash_flooding_in_utica_swallows_cars_turns_streets_into_rivers.html" target="_blank">significant flooding</a> (causing abandonment of cars, risk to human life,
and property damage) occurred on a newly reconstructed and re-opened section of the
North-South Arterial and adjacent Lincoln Avenue in an area labeled “area of minimal flood
hazard” on the federal map. Per media reports State DOT officials claimed that their drains
worked properly but indicated there was insufficient capacity in the storm sewers or
receiving stream to prevent the flooding from occurring. This flooding occurred
approximately one half-mile from and at a higher elevation than the Project site. The Draft
EIS mentions this event (p 57/3527) but fails to elaborate on it in spite of the concern
being identified during Scoping. The Project description indicates that some existing storm
sewers will be removed, some will be used, and others will be constructed. However, the
Draft EIS fails to reveal whether the Project will depend upon any of the systems
that were overwhelmed by the 7/1/17 storm. That information should be put in the
final EIS.<br />
<br />
2.) The Draft EIS acknowledges that full build out of the Project has the potential to
increase stormwater runoff and exacerbate downgradient flooding during storms (p.
60/3527) but dismisses the issue with a statement that the Project will result in more
pervious surfaces than now (implying less runoff). The Project’s acres of new, unbroken
pavement are expected to have a different water retention characteristic and likely will be
less able to retain/slow/infiltrate runoff than the existing patchwork of old/broken
pavement, sidewalks, roofs, yards, etc. Whether or not flooding will actually occur cannot
be known without calculations using surface characteristics, areas, and design storms.
The EIS should use the rainfall pattern of the 7/1/17 storm to produce a hydrograph
of the runoff, and use same to determine if the storm sewers and streams serving
the Project site have the capacity to carry away the storm water to the Mohawk
River/Canal without creating urban flooding.<br />
<br />
3.) Runoff from the proposed “U-District” adjacent to the Downtown site must be
addressed as a cumulative impact.<br />
<br />
4.) The Draft EIS fails to consider relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus as
mitigation. (a) The number of patient beds will be close to if not within those
currently/historically on site, suggesting that the Project environmentally would be the
replacement of an existing facility on site with no new impacts other than
construction/demolition. (b) The wetland on-site is a natural flooding buffer. (c) The 7/1/17
storm caused no flooding at or near the St. Luke’s Campus. (d) There are no pending
large projects near by that would cause cumulative impacts.<br />
<br />
<b>E. Impact on Air:</b> This topic is addressed by the Draft EIS in Section 3.4.<br />
<br />
1.) Fugitive emissions from regulated materials and impacted soils is acknowledged
as a potential concern during construction (Draft EIS p. 67/3527). Relocation of the
Project to the St. Luke’s Campus should be considered to mitigate this concern due to the
lack of prior industrial uses at that location.<br />
<br />
2.) The Draft EIS acknowledges that the Project’s road closures could increase emissions
from mobile sources (p. 64/3527). Relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus
should be considered to mitigate this concern because road closures would be
unnecessary at the St. Luke’s Site.<br />
<br />
<b>F. Impact on Aesthetic Resources including Lighting:</b> This topic is addressed by the Draft EIS
in Section 3.5. It acknowledges the types of buildings currently on the Downtown site, that they
will be replaced with more modern looking structures, and that the new structures will be
consistent with the appearance of the renovated Utica Aud and what is planned at Harbor Point.
However, the determination of appropriate aesthetics at the Downtown site has been
standardized by <b>the Gateway Historic Canal District Design Standards</b> adopted in 2005.
Although the Applicant acknowledged the existence of these standards in its CON application
(i.e., noting a height limitation of 7 stories/70 feet on Draft EIS p. 373/3527), the Draft EIS failed
to apply the standards. At 9 stories, the <b>Project exceeds the acknowledged height standard</b>
making it an aesthetic impact requiring mitigation. This could be accomplished by:<br />
<br />
1.) Redesigning the Project to conform to Gateway Historic Canal District Design
Standards, or<br />
<br />
2.) Relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus where the standards do not apply and
the building form is consistent with what is already on-site.<br />
<br />
Another short-coming of the Draft EIS is the failure of its artist renderings to show the Project in
context with surrounding buildings from important vantage points. Utica has a distinctive
and unique skyline perhaps best appreciated driving south on Route 12 Arterial or east on
Oriskany Boulevard. The Arterial/Oriskany Boulevard interchange is an important Gateway to
Downtown. Travelling east on Oriskany Blvd. as one emerges from under the interchange, the
skyline of Utica is revealed, ‘up close and personal’ on the right with prominent architectural
examples such as the Adirondack Bank Building, Grace Church, State Office Building, new Bank
of Utica clocktower, City Hall’s ‘Tower of Hope,’ and M&T Bank’s “Gold Dome” alternately coming
into view. These buildings are also viewable as one travels south on Rt. 12 over the interchange.
From either vantage point, the Project’s massive, lengthy, 9-story “slab,” out-of-scale with the
neighborhood and street-grid, and placed across Cornelia St.,will block these views.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdxGTEwV2Kk/XD9pvqCNUDI/AAAAAAAABW8/gG4qiftowR0pavcyz_jfqdr25fTX__mJACLcBGAs/s1600/Viewshed01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="809" height="283" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdxGTEwV2Kk/XD9pvqCNUDI/AAAAAAAABW8/gG4qiftowR0pavcyz_jfqdr25fTX__mJACLcBGAs/s640/Viewshed01.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>(From Google Maps. Eastbound Oriskany Blvd emerging from interchange. This viewshed is
better appreciated in-person from different points while driving, without Google Map’s distorted
perspective). </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0rO53OR-UQ/XD9qeiWNAYI/AAAAAAAABXE/9zd1N1W_2Vc6tjOFqMY1HAYOm8yaMKGwgCLcBGAs/s1600/Viewshed02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="1243" height="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0rO53OR-UQ/XD9qeiWNAYI/AAAAAAAABXE/9zd1N1W_2Vc6tjOFqMY1HAYOm8yaMKGwgCLcBGAs/s640/Viewshed02.png" width="640" /></a></i></div>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>(From Google Maps. Southbound Rt 12 passing over interchange. This viewshed is better<br />appreciated in-person from different points while driving, without Google Map’s distorted<br />perspective).</i><br />
<br />
<b>G. Impact on Historic and Archeological Resources:</b> This topic is addressed by the Draft EIS<br />
in Section 3.6 as well as in Appendices E and H. The Draft EIS acknowledges and extensively<br />
documents the <b>existence of sites of Historic or Archeological significance within the<br />Downtown site </b>which may be disturbed/destroyed/adversely affected by the Project, including<br />
sites on the National Registry, sites eligible for the National Registry, sites listed in the Downtown Genesee St. Historic District, and sites related to operation of the Erie/Chenango Canals. The<br />
Draft EIS <b>postpones definition of mitigation</b> measures pending further study, consultation with,<br />
and action by OPRHP to prescribe measures to mitigate impacts to known and unknown historic<br />
properties; but anticipates such measures to include further assessments/testing of properties,<br />
etc. (which might be characterized as documenting what is there and saving some artifacts<br />
before structures are destroyed). The Draft EIS needs to acknowledge that<b> impacts to Historic<br />and Archeological Resources may be avoided by relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s<br />Campus. </b><br />
<br />
<b>H. Impact to Transportation:</b> This topic is addressed by the Draft EIS in Section 3.7. It<br />
acknowledges various potential construction and operational traffic impacts, describes current<br />
streets, presents current and anticipated traffic Levels of Service (LOS) for various intersections,<br />
and proposes forms of mitigation.<br />
<br />
1.) As detailed in the Draft EIS (pp 90-91/3527) the Project will cause a deterioration in<br />
LOS for several intersections (i.e., the Project will cause unacceptable traffic delays at<br />
certain intersections for certain movements according to the ratings). Although changes to<br />
signals etc. are proposed as mitigation, no evidence is presented to demonstrate that<br />
these will decrease the delays or otherwise improve LOS. Therefore, there is an<br />
unavoidable adverse impact to traffic.<br />
<br />
2.) What the traffic analysis methodology, and the minutiae it generated, failed to<br />
capture – and what the EIS must acknowledge – is the broader concept of a Street<br />
Grid -- that the Project will destroy a portion of the Grid, and that this could have<br />
unintended and unpredictable social, economic, health and environmental<br />
consequences.<br />
<br />
Like the honey-comb structure of a hive serves the purposes of bees, street grids are a<br />
tried-and-true method of organizing the urban environment for human efficiency, which go<br />
back millennia. The <i>raison-d’etre</i> of cities is to permit humans to be in close proximity to<br />
and interact with each other. Street grids promote that interaction by organizing human<br />
movements into predictable patterns and giving persons access to each other. Disrupting<br />
the grid disorients travel, creates barriers to movement, and has the effect of increasing<br />
the distance between people -- undermining the purpose of city existence. Places once<br />
easily accessible become hard to reach, lessening their usefulness. A two block trip<br />
becomes four – or more. An easily missed turn becomes an opportunity lost when a<br />
customer can no longer simply go around the block. More energy than necessary is<br />
expended, and more pollution is created.<br />
<br />
The Draft EIS (pp.83-4/3527) recognizes that Lafayette and Columbia Sts. are urban<br />
major collector streets which connect places outside the study area. The EIS needs to<br />
acknowledge that they both run generally east-west and are parallel and redundant to<br />
each other as part of a grid. Redundancy is a benefit of the grid best appreciated when a<br />
street is temporarily blocked, but one can go around the blockage by moving over one<br />
block. This is a common occurrence on Columbia St. by delivery trucks, easily managed<br />
by using Lafayette St. instead. When the hospital permanently closes blocks of Lafayette<br />
St., the redundancy will be lost. <br />
<br />
Cornelia St. runs roughly north-south, roughly parallel and redundant to Broadway. Both<br />
give access from Court St. to Whitesboro St. and the Baggs Square W. neighborhood near<br />
the Auditorium. The Project will close a portion of Cornelia St., limiting access from Court<br />
St. to Baggs Sq. W. to only via Broadway.<br />
<br />
<b>Temporary blockages</b> due to deliveries, stalled trucks, fires, burst water mains, cultural<br />
and sporting events, etc., <b>are a common fact of City life</b>. <b>They are unpredictable</b> and<br />
not accounted for in the traffic studies. What is predictable is that the <b>Project’s street</b><br />
<b>closures will make it more difficult for people, and City authorities, to deal with</b><br />
<b>them</b>. The EIS must acknowledge that the Project’s street closures will turn what are now<br />
minor inconveniences into potential gridlock. <b>Disruption of the street grid is, per se, an</b><br />
<b>unmitigatable adverse impact to transportation.</b><br />
<br />
3.) The Draft EIS fails to address the Cumulative Impacts of the Project with the<br />
NYSDOT’s Route 5S work. After the State closes the Washington and Seneca Sts.<br />
crossings of Oriskany Blvd., and the Project closes Cornelia, how would one access<br />
Baggs Sq. W from Court St. if Broadway were to become temporarily blocked?<br />
<br />
4.) The Parking demand appears overstated and the ITE methodology not explained, not<br />
readily available to the public, and likely misapplied given gross differences between the<br />
Project and hospitals elsewhere, cited during Scoping (Draft EIS pp1032-3/3527). How<br />
does the proposed parking compare with Applicant’s current use (which should be<br />
conservative given scale-back in Applicant’s operations)?<br />
<br />
5.) The EIS must recognize that the traffic impacts identified above would be<br />
avoided by Relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus where (a) the negligible<br />
increase in bed-capacity on site would produce a negligible increases in traffic and parking<br />
demand (b) no public street would have to be closed and (c) there is nothing pending to<br />
suggest a Cumulative Impact to traffic.<br />
<br />
<b>I. Impact on Energy:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Sections 3.8 and 4. The Draft EIS<br />
acknowledges that to service the Project, existing electric and natural gas infrastructure will be<br />
relocated out of the IHC footprint, into public rights-of-way (p.93/3527). It also acknowledges that<br />
to meet demand and minimize disturbances to existing customers, an 80 psi, 6-inch diameter gas<br />
main would be installed and extended approximately 2,500 lf to the site from National Grid’s<br />
existing 80 psi supply main, and that extension of the gas main may require crossing underneath<br />
an existing railroad. (p.94/3527). The Draft EIS indicated that construction would be in<br />
accordance with applicable codes to minimize impacts.<br />
<br />
1.) In spite of being raised twice during Scoping (pp. 1035 &1438/3527), the Draft EIS fails<br />
to disclose and <b>needs to acknowledge the impact of the Project on the <a href="https://www.powerbycogen.com/case-studies/burrstone-energy-center-chp-microgrid/" target="_blank">Co-Generation Facility</a> recently constructed on the St. Luke’s Campus that is shared between St.<br />Luke’s facilities and Utica College.</b> The Hospital is the only customer for hot water and<br />
steam, and the largest customer for electricity. The facility’s use numbers make it appear<br />
that this community resource, which contributes to the resiliency and efficiency of the<br />
energy system, would have to close if the hospital were to be moved to the Downtown site.<br />
<br />
2.) Placing the Project Downtown deprives Applicant of the energy-efficiency of the Co-<br />
Gen facility and undercuts Applicant’s sustainability.<br />
<br />
3.)The Draft EIS fails to discuss Cumulative Impacts to Energy from anticipated “U-District”<br />
projects.<br />
<br />
4.) Given the acknowledged impacts to off-site locations, public rights of way, potential “UDistrict”<br />
Cumulative Impacts, and the Co-Gen questions, the EIS needs to discuss<br />
whether such impacts could be avoided or lessened by relocating the Project to the St.<br />
Luke’s Campus given the Co-Gen facility being on said campus and no “U-District” nearby.<br />
<br />
<b>J. Impact on Utilities:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section 3.9. It acknowledges that<br />
existing sanitary sewers, water lines, storm sewers would be removed and replaced with new<br />
pipes and arrangements, impacts would occur from this work, and that some of this work would<br />
be in public rights of way just off-site.<br />
<br />
1.) The Draft EIS fails to acknowledge that the existing facilities are a grid that developed<br />
to serve a small-scale incremental type of development; that there is an increasing<br />
demand for this type of environment for redevelopment in Utica (e.g. recent Baggs. Sq.<br />
redevelopment); that such redevelopment is of the type intended to be fostered by the<br />
Gateway Historic Canal District rules and the Utica Master Plan; and that <b>destroying this<br />grid would be the waste of a community resource needed to foster redevelopment.</b><br />
<br />
2.) The Draft EIS fails to address Cumulative Impacts from the “U-District” on utilities.<br />
<br />
3.) The Draft EIS fails to acknowledge that the above impacts could be largely avoided by<br />
relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus where the public grid would not be<br />
disturbed.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>K. Impact on Noise and Odor:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section 3.10. Impacts are<br />
expected to be primarily related to the construction phase. The Draft EIS fails to acknowledge<br />
that relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus would minimize these impacts, particularly to<br />
off-site receptors, owing to the Campus’ more-open surroundings, the decreased need to<br />
demolish buildings and reroute public infrastructure, and the likelihood that such impacts would<br />
be better monitored by an on-site Applicant.<br />
<br />
<b>L. Impact on Human Health:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section 3.11. The Draft EIS<br />
acknowledges that impacts to health could result during the demolition and construction phases<br />
through exposures to impacted soils and groundwater and hazardous materials, such as<br />
asbestos from old buildings. The Draft EIS touts the health purposes of the Project without<br />
reference to site, and attempts to address the “red zone” railroad problem.<br />
<br />
1.) <b>The Draft EIS fails to consider that the purposes of the State’s Grant – which is<br />intended to improve human health – are undermined by the Project’s placement on<br />the Downtown Site</b>, as opposed to the St. Luke’s Campus, because: (a) it <b>dis</b>-integrates<br />
the system of care by placing 2 miles between the new hospital beds and the rehab/nursing facility, (b) removes the anchor institution from the existent defacto medical district near the Utica/New Hartford line, (c) gives the Applicant an additional medical campus to manage; and, apparently, per the Applicant’s own numbers, (d) undermines Applicant’s financial stability by increasing the number of staff per hospital bed. (See Part I above).<br />
<br />
2.) The Draft EIS makes clear that placement of the Project Downtown places it in a traffic<br />
area where delays will be exacerbated by the Project’s own traffic and street closures.<br />
Additionally, because the streets to be closed are part of a grid, common blockages which<br />
now cause inconvenience could post-Project cause gridlock, making hospital access<br />
difficult and life threatening. (See Section H above).<br />
<br />
3.) With regard to the “red zone” reference is made to my prior Scoping comments on this<br />
topic (Draft EIS p. 1036/3537). Although the Draft EIS attempts to address concerns<br />
raised during Scoping about the potential of having to evacuate the Project were a train<br />
derailment to occur involving hazardous substances on the CSX Railroad Tracks which<br />
pass about 900 feet north of the project site, <b>the Draft EIS still fails to assess the<br />feasibility of evacuating what would become Greater Utica’s only hospital and fails<br />to substantiate any feasibility with an Evacuation Plan.</b> This should have been a “fatal<br />
flaw” of the Downtown Site.<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>WARNING: The City of Utica, County of Oneida and other involved agencies are<br />hereby placed on notice that if they approve of this Project on the Downtown Site,<br />they are knowingly and unnecessarily placing human lives at risk both due to<br />gridlock and the red zone because the St. Luke’s Campus does not carry such risks.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: black;">M. Consistency with Community Character and Plans: </span></b><span style="color: black;">The Draft EIS addresses this topic in<br />Section 3.12. Its approach is to ignore the word “Plans.” Reference is made to my prior Scoping<br />comments on this topic (Draft EIS p. 1036-7/3537) since they were disregarded.</span><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">1.) <b>The Project is inconsistent with the Gateway Historic Canal District’s plan and<br />building-form rules</b> (see e.g., Draft EIS p. 373/3527), which were Council-approved in<br />2005. The Draft EIS fails to disclose that the Downtown Site lies within the said District<br />(an area bounded by Genesee, State and Columbia Streets and the CSX Tracks).<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">2.) <b>The Project is inconsistent with the Utica Master Plan</b>, approved by the Council in<br />2011 and updated in 2016. This and the Canal District plan envision mixed uses and<br />“walkability” Downtown, not a Medical Campus of a few massive buildings surrounded by<br />acres of parking.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">3.) <b>The Project’s street closures are inconsistent with Utica’s Street Plan</b>, compiled<br />incrementally over Utica’s history by City ordinances.</span><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: black;">Per 6 NYCRR 617.7(c)(1)(iv), the material conflicts above are per se a substantive and<br />significant adverse environmental impact that either must be mitigated or avoided. The<br />DEIS fails to propose either. Relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus would<br />avoid these inconsistencies.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: black;"> N. Impacts on Solid Waste Management:</span></b><span style="color: black;"> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section 3.13.<br />It acknowledges possible impacts during the construction phase from disposal of impacted soils<br />and groundwater and hazardous building materials among the Construction and Demolition<br />debris. With a decreased need to demolish buildings with unknown hazards and an historically<br />less-impacted site, <b>relocation the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus should be considered in<br />mitigation of this environmental impact.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br />O. Environmental Justice:</b> The Draft EIS acknowledges the need to address Environmental<br />Justice in Section 1.2.3 and in several other places, mentions several times that the Downtown<br />Site is potentially an Environmental Justice area, but then <b>fails to offer anything about the<br />issue.</b> The Draft EIS <b>fails to assess the Project’s impacts on the protected population or<br />otherwise deal with those impacts</b>. In this regard it is noted that the Project will displace from<br />the neighborhood, if not destroy, about 40 business and other entities where people are working.<br />No attempt has been made to assess the number or holders of those jobs, their circumstances,<br />or whether they are members of the protected population. The Project will also displace or impact<br />several charitable institutions that serve the protected population, such as the Salvation Army<br />and Compassion Coalition. Jobs and services clearly are going to be lost to the neighborhood.<br /><b>The EIS must acknowledge that Environmental Justice impacts may be completely<br />avoided by relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus, which is not in an E-J<br />neighborhood.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><b>P. Cumulative Impacts:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this in Section 5, out of context with the areas<br />of environmental concern and with little information. It dismisses the “U-District” as “speculative,”<br />when it is not, considering that a building has already been demolished in preparation and its<br />frequent coverage in the press. The referenced CSO project only tells us what it is but has yet to<br />be placed into context with this Project because the EIS lacks information on the routing of<br />Project waste water, as already pointed out. Cumulative Impacts need to be addressed under<br />each relevant area of environmental concern.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus must also be considered in the EIS in<br />mitigation of Cumulative Impacts as there are no known large-scale projects in its vicinity that<br />could impact the Project.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Q. Creation of a Demand for Other Actions that Could Impact the Environment</b>: This topic<br />is only partially touched upon in the Draft EIS in Section 8.2 “Adaptive Reuse of FSLH and<br />SEMC,” and is otherwise ignored.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br />1.) The Project will take the new Utica Police Garage, disrupting the Utica Police Campus<br />which also includes the Police Station, Utica City Court, and associated parking. No plan<br />for the garage’s functions has been announced, and the impact on the functioning of the<br />other portions of the Campus is unassessed. The change in the map of the Utica Police<br />Campus suggests that it will be ‘squeezed out’ by the surrounding Medical Campus, and<br />create a need to build a new Police Campus (Garage, Station and City Court) elsewhere.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">2.) The Project will take the facilities of some 40 business and other entities, and likely<br />force others out of the neighborhood due to construction disruptions. If these entities<br />continue their existence elsewhere they likely will go to the suburbs (Empire Bath has<br />already moved to Marcy, and Brandeis will be moving to Whitesboro). Forcing businesses<br />out of the City creates sprawl, increasing the demand for public infrastructure and<br />services, making the public more dependent on the automobile, and wasting energy.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">3.) The Draft EIS deals with the future of the St. Luke’s and St. Elizabeth’s Campuses by<br />‘kicking the can down the road’ – i.e. reuse of facilities to be abandoned is still being<br />studied. Given the sizes of each campus any use change is likely to have a significant<br />impact on their respective neighborhood, and would be impacts of the Project because the<br />Project is causing the abandonment. The Draft EIS’ vagueness is unacceptable in a<br />community that has had to deal for over 20 years with the blight caused by the State’s<br />abandonment of hospital facilities on the Psychiatric Center Campus. One building has<br />only recently been leveled after years of broken windows. The multistory, hulking Brigham<br />Building still sits empty on the corner of Noyes and York Streets, dragging on the<br />neighborhood. Simply put, there does not appear to be any market for abandoned hospital<br />buildings, so “adaptive reuse” of these facilities sounds speculative. The EIS must<br />propose mitigation measures that assure that Applicant’s abandonment of facilities will not<br />create new blight in South Utica and New Hartford. As mitigation, consideration should be<br />given to requiring Applicant to post a performance bond to fund continued maintenance<br />and/or demolition of abandoned facilities, if they are not repurposed within an appropriate<br />specified time period.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">4.) Relocation of the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus should be considered in mitigation<br />of potential demands for other actions because: (a) there would be no need to disrupt the<br />Utica Police Campus, (b) there would be no need to displace businesses and others, and<br />(c) some of the St. Luke’s facilities could continue to be used to serve the Applicant (e.g.,<br />the Medical Office Building and the Co-Gen Facility).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><b>R. Smart Growth Policy</b> (<a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2015/env/article-6/" target="_blank">Environmental Conservation Law Article 6</a>): The Draft EIS makes<br />some references to the State’s Smart Growth Policy (pp. 48, 49, 1591/3527) regarding the Site<br />Selection Process, but otherwise ignores the subject. The Draft EIS claims that the Downtown<br />Site would be viewed more favorably if state funds are pursued and that re-purposing urban<br />parcels is a sustainable initiative. The Draft EIS assigns extra “points” to the Downtown Site as<br />being “smart growth.” However, the Draft EIS’ treatment of the topic is absurd -- like a box to be<br />checked – without any apparent understanding that the purpose of the law is to minimize sprawl.<br />The Project exacerbates sprawl by: (1) ripping out (wasting) an urban grid infrastructure and<br />replacing it with a suburban-style campus with acres of parking (a low level use); (2) wasting<br />Applicant’s existing suburban campus, unnecessarily dispersing Applicant’s facilities; and (3)<br />pushing out 40 entities currently occupying the Downtown Site, and likely driving many of them to<br />the suburbs or lesser developed areas. Simply, the Draft EIS turns the State’s Smart Growth<br />Policy on its head. <b>The EIS needs to acknowledge that relocating the Project to the St.<br />Luke’s Campus would be more consistent with Smart Growth principles because it avoids<br />the three negatives listed above. </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>S. Unavoidable Adverse Environmental Impacts:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section<br />6. It relates several short term impacts arising from construction, and several long-term impacts,<br />specifically (1) demolition of existing buildings within the project footprint (including relocation of<br />existing businesses), (2) new traffic patterns due to permanent closure of existing roads (3)<br />periodic noise events from emergency helicopter access/egress and (4) modified viewshed. The<br />language chosen hides the significance of the unavoidable impacts. For example, “change in<br />traffic patterns” neither reflects the decline in traffic LOS at key intersections, nor the destruction<br />of important redundancy in the Street Grid as discussed at H above. <b>The Draft EIS fails to<br />acknowledge that the nature and significance of these impacts are tied to the site chosen,<br />and that these short and long-term impacts could be minimized or entirely avoided by<br />relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b><br /><b>T. Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this<br />topic in Section 7. The wording used attempts to minimize the significance of what will be lost.<br /><b>The EIS needs to acknowledge that a grid of public infrastructure (streets, sidewalks,<br />sewers, utilities) that can support the kind of private, taxpaying, incremental<br />redevelopment of Utica that is contemplated by the City’s official plans will be irretrievably<br />lost.</b> The new Police Garage will be taken. Numerous existing businesses with their associated<br />jobs, income and the personal wealth of their owners will be lost. Utica will lose perhaps its best<br />site (as part of the Central Business District) for business startups and growth, especially at a<br />time that the immediately adjoining areas (Baggs Sq. and Varick St.) are becoming filled. The<br />property and sales taxes generated here will be lost. While the Draft EIS in its next section paints<br />a pie-in-the-sky picture of a future filled with economic development, <b>reality is that the hospital<br />and its parking facilities will take over the very places where economic development<br />would occur, and destroy the personal wealth of the very entrepreneurs positioned to<br />make it happen</b>, the ones in business there now, as history of urban renewal projects in Utica<br />has shown.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><b>The EIS should also make the same analysis for the St. Luke’s Campus.</b> It would<br />undoubtedly conclude that relocating the Project to that site would minimize irreversible and<br />irretrievable commitment of resources.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>U. Growth Inducing Aspects:</b> The Draft EIS addresses this topic in Section 8 with a lot of<br />forward looking rosy assumptions including tax figures based on smoke-and-mirrors. There is<br />practically no substantive evidence, much less than a reasoned elaboration, to back up the<br />claims.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br />As requested during Scoping (Draft EIS p. 1038/3527), <b>this section of the EIS should include<br />consideration of “negative growth”</b> with associated adverse impacts (the spread of blight<br />and the wasting of community resources).<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Currently available information suggests that the Project, when completed, will<b> exacerbate the<br />region’s<i> negative</i> population trends through the <i>destruction </i>of jobs.</b> Hospital jobs will be<br />reduced by at least 184 (Draft EIS pp589-90/3527, if the Applcant’s numbers are believed), due<br />to the reduction in authorized hospital beds from 571 to 373 (see the NYS Department of Health's<br />Needs Analysis). Most non-hospital jobs (with no attempt to even count them in the Draft EIS)<br />associated with the approximately 40 entities currently within the Downtown hospital site will disappear based upon the 90%+ closure rate experienced by Rome, NY businesses previously in<br />the footprint of its Ft. Stanwix urban renewal project. The Project’s <b>occupation of 25 Central<br />Business District Acres</b>, primarily for parking, <b>not only will remove this acreage from private<br />development but also</b> <b>drive up the cost of remaining CBD property by restricting supply</b>. That will discourage new startups and the creation of new jobs. Meanwhile the City of Utica will<br />be burdened with providing municipal services to new facilities that do not generate taxes, raising<br />taxes for everyone else and making Utica less attractive for investment.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Simply put, the Project will replace an urban neighborhood that contributes to its upkeep<br />with suburban sprawl that will not. The EIS needs to not only address these concerns but<br />also acknowledge that they could be minimized by placing the new facility on the St.<br />Luke’s Campus.</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>V. Conclusion re Environmental Concerns</b><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Significant environmental concerns are either ignored, understated, or masked by a focus<br />on minutae.</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">(<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-iii-matrix-st-lukes-campus-vs.html">continued</a>)</span></span>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-57145584441192635072019-01-16T10:06:00.000-05:002019-01-17T08:02:54.581-05:00Part I. Site Selection - Downtown Hospital DEIS <div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">Comments on the <a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf" target="_blank">Downtown Hospital Draft Environmental Impact Statement</a> (Draft EIS). </span></b><span style="text-decoration: none;">The Applicant is Mohawk Valley Health System. The Project is the proposed Hospital.</span><b><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">Part
</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">I. </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">T</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">he</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">Site Selection Process: </span></b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
issue is addressed in the Draft EIS in Section 2 and Appendix D.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A.
The Study vs. a Summary:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Applicant was requested numerous times to disclose the <b>Site
Selection S</b><b>tudy</b> it relied upon in choosing the Downtown
site. Instead, the Draft EIS supplies only a “Summary Memorandum”
of the site selection process (and only in draft form). This appears
at Appendix D to the Draft EIS. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Applicant needs to submit the actual study it</b><b>s</b><b> </b><b>Board
relied upon</b><b> </b><b>rather than a summary, </b><b>so the Public
</b><b>and relevant authorities </b><b>do not have to </b><b>speculate
on what was left out</b><b>.</b><b> </b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
Need for a New Site:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">When
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Applicant
</span></span></span></span><a href="http://wibx950.com/downtown-utica-is-proposed-location-of-new-mohawk-valley-health-system-hospital/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">announced</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">in
September, 2015, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">that
it had chosen to build the Project at the Downtown site, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">it
also stated</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
that </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“</span></span></span></span><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">In
the event the downtown site proves not to be financially viable, we
will </span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">move
on to </span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">our</span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
second site option at the St. Luke’s Campus, which the board feels
will also serve the community well.” </span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">This
is an admission that the Project is feasible </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">at</span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
the St. Luke’s </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Campus
in New Hartford</span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></i>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Since
an applicant </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">under
SEQRA </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">cannot
be made to consider site</span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">s</span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
it </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">does
not own</span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
(see </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">6
NYCRR 617.9(b)(5)(v) ('g')), </span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>the
</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Draft
EIS</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>needs
to explain why </b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>the
Applicant</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>felt
compelled to do so</b></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>.</b></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">C</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
Lack of Public Engagement:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Applicant’s
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Project</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">depends
upon a grant provided under </span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Public
Health La</span></a><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">w
(PBH) Section 2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
The grant application </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">will
be judged on “</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
extent to which the applicant has engaged the community affected by
the proposed capital project and the manner in which community
engagement has shaped such capital project</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.”
(</span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
(4)(f)).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
The Applicant never at any time engaged the </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Public</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
on the </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>proposed
location of the Project.</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">In
fact, there is evidence that local officials deliberately kept the
discussion of facility location </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">away
from the </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">P</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ublic
(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">See
</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.nohospitaldowntown.com/oneida-county-hospital-email-dump.php"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">word-searchable</span></a><a href="http://www.nohospitaldowntown.com/oneida-county-hospital-email-dump.php"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">
</span></a><a href="http://www.nohospitaldowntown.com/oneida-county-hospital-email-dump.php"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">e-mail
</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nohospitaldowntown.com/oneida-county-hospital-email-dump.php">‘dump'</a>
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">or <a href="https://www.uticaod.com/news/20180111/read-local-officials-emails-about-downtown-hospital-project">images</a></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">9/1/15
e-mail, Anthony Brindisi to Steven DiMeo and Anthony Picente: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">“</span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
don't want public opinion derailing this.”</span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">)
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Had
the Applicant engaged the Public </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">at
the site selection stage</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Applicant</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
would have been able to de</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">velop
appropriate siting criteria to address </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
Public </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Interest</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
(e.g., </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">convenience
of the Public to access current medical providers and the new
facility, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">loss
of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">businesses
and </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">tax</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ble
properties, disruption to traffic patter</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ns</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">need
to construct new municipal facilities and public infrastructure,
changes to community character</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">facility
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">location
relative to transportation of hazardous substances, etc.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Given</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>PBH
2825-b</b></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>(4)(f),
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>if
the Applicant continues to pursue </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>a
site other than St. Luke’s Campus</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>,
it needs to reopen the site selection process for Public </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>I</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>nput
and to develop appropriate criteria for choosing a site that protects
the Public Interest</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>.
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">D</span><span style="color: black;">.
</span><span style="color: black;">Inconsistent Screening of Sites:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">T</span><span style="color: black;">he
Summary Memorandum </span><span style="color: black;">states</span><span style="color: black;">
that </span><span style="color: black;">a </span><span style="color: black;">G</span><span style="color: black;">eographic
</span><span style="color: black;">I</span><span style="color: black;">nformation
</span><span style="color: black;">S</span><span style="color: black;">ystem</span><span style="color: black;">
analysis </span><span style="color: black;">was </span><span style="color: black;">initially
</span><span style="color: black;">used </span><span style="color: black;">to
“</span>identify parcels 50 acres and larger that could potentially
host a new combined facility”. Of the 12 sites subsequently
considered for “fatal flaws,” an exception to the above rule
appears to have been made for the Downtown Site because it is neither
a “parcel” (actually being about 90 parcels as shown on County
ownership maps) nor is it 50 acres (actually being from 17 to 34
acres depending upon how the site is defined). Since the other 11
sites (e.g., 5 of them are golf courses) more closely match the
50-acre-parcel rule, the Downtown site is dissimilar to the others. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Applicant needs to explain </b><b>why</b><b> </b><b>an exception </b><b>was
made </b><b>to its </b><b>50-acre-parcel </b><b>site-screening </b><b>rule
</b><b>to </b><b>put </b><b>the </b><b>Downtown Site </b><b>on the
list of sites to be considered</b><b>, </b><b>otherwise its </b><b>placement
on the list </b><b>appears arbitrary</b><b>.</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">E.
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Fatal Flaw Analysis –
Land Use History:</span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">According
to the Summary Memorandum, the 12 sites were screened for “fatal
flaws” – “factors that could impact the development potential
of the site.” The Downtown Site is currently occupied by some 40
entities including Private Businesses, Not-For-Profits, and a
Municipal Police Garage. </span><span style="font-size: small;">It
is also occupied by streets </span><span style="font-size: small;">that
would have to close to accommodate the Project</span><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span><span style="font-size: small;">The Site </span><span style="font-size: small;">has
been in use for nearly</span><span style="font-size: small;">
200 years.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The </span><span style="font-size: small;">length
and </span><span style="font-size: small;">level of use of the
Downtown </span><span style="font-size: small;">Site </span><span style="font-size: small;">(detailed
in Appendix </span><span style="font-size: small;">E </span><span style="font-size: small;">of
the Draft EIS)</span><span style="font-size: small;">, which
could be expected to complicate any redevelopment, </span><span style="font-size: small;">make</span><span style="font-size: small;">
it </span><span style="font-size: small;">markedly </span><span style="font-size: small;">dissimilar
to </span><span style="font-size: small;">the other sites
</span><span style="font-size: small;">which are mostly
outside the urban core</span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>he
Applicant needs to explain why </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>the
current and </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>past
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>history</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>of uses </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>were</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
not considered a “fatal flaw” that would warrant rejection of the
Downtown Site</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>,
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>otherwise its
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>“fatal flaw”
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>analysis appears
arbitrary</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>.</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">F.
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Fatal Flaw Analysis –
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Existing </span><span style="font-size: small;">Plans
and Rules</span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
current occupants and uses of the Downtown Site reflect </span><span style="font-size: small;">almost
200 years</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">of
</span><span style="font-size: small;">official City of Utica
decision-makin</span><span style="font-size: small;">g</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">(ranging from zoning
and street layout to lot size</span><span style="font-size: small;">s</span><span style="font-size: small;">)</span><span style="font-size: small;">.
Applicant’s proposal to replace the Columbia-Lafayette neighborhood
with a campus of medical buildings, parking facilities, </span><span style="font-size: small;">and
discontinued streets</span><span style="font-size: small;"> is
inconsistent with these prior decisions. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gateway
Historic Canal District (</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">which
covers the Downtown Site</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">)
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">has
a plan and de</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">sign</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">
requirements that were adopted in 2005. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">The
Utica Master Plan of 2011 and its 2016 Update, </span><span style="font-size: small;">were
</span><span style="font-size: small;">officially adopted to
guide future development within the City. </span><span style="font-size: small;">None
of these </span><span style="font-size: small;">call for a
transformative change to the Columbia-Lafayette Neighborhood. </span><span style="font-size: small;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">either
the Applicant, nor its </span><span style="font-size: small;">c</span><span style="font-size: small;">onsultants,
</span><span style="font-size: small;">nor the
elected/non-elected </span><span style="font-size: small;">persons/officials</span><span style="font-size: small;">
who want the hospital Downtown</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">(</span><span style="font-size: small;">see
</span><span style="font-size: small;">K</span><span style="font-size: small;">.,
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>infra</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">)
</span><span style="font-size: small;">have the legal
authority </span><span style="font-size: small;">on their own
</span><span style="font-size: small;">to change Utica’s
official plans, ordinances, etc. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>he
Applicant needs to explain why </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>the
existing </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>laws
and </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>plans </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>etc.
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>were not seen as
</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>a “fatal flaw”</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
that would require rejection of the Downtown Site, </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>otherwise
its </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>“fatal
flaw” </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>analysis
appears arbitrary. </b></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">G.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Fatal
Flaw Analysis – </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Objectives
of PBH 2825-b: </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
Applicant currently operates</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">two
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">hospitals
(St. Elizabeth’s and St. Luke’s) </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">and
a number of other facilities in the Utica area. T</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">he</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
largest facility </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">is
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">St.
Luke’s </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Hospital
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">in
New Hartford</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">with
370 inpatient beds </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>in</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">clusive
of 24 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">physical
medicine and rehabilitation beds </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">co-located
in a separate building on the St. Luke’s Campus with a 202 bed
nursing home)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Applicant
proposes to use the grant provided under </span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">to
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">consolidate
and reduce beds from its </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">201-bed
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">St.
Elizabeth’s Campus </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(SEMC)
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">with
those from St. Luke’s </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">in</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">to</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
a new facility </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">that</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
w</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ould</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
have 373 beds </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>ex</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">cluding
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">t</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">he</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">24
physical medicine and rehabilitation beds, which would remain </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">in
their current location </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">at
St. Luke’s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">see
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">D</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">raft
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">EIS
p173/3527). </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">In
spite of the consolidation </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">of
hospital beds from two facilities, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
Applicant proposes to maintain some functions at both the St.
Elizabeth’s and St. Luke’s Campuses. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
St. Luke’s Campus qualifies for funding under PBH 2825-b because,
being on Utica’s western boundary, it is located in Oneida County’s
“largest population center,” the wording </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">of
the law</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
deliberately not restricting funds to the City of Utica. As noted
under B., above, Applicant acknowledged that the Project is feasible
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">and
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">would</span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
be built </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">on
the St. Luke’s Campus if it could not be </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">done</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
Downtown. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">If
the new facility were to be constructed at the </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">St.
Luke’s Campus </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">instead
of Downtown</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">it
would</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">represent</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
an increase of </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">only
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">27
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">hospital</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
beds </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">about
7%</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
on </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">that
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">site.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">In
this regard it is also noted that the St. Luke’s Home </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">on-site
has already </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">reduced
</span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">its
long term care beds by 40 (Draft EIS p653/3527).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">While
long term </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">care
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">beds
may not be the same as hospital beds, it suggests that even with </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
addition of beds </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">transferred
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">from
SEMC</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
the overall use of the St. Luke’s </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">C</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ampus
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">with</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
a combined </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">hospital
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">facility
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">would
be less </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">intense</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
than it had been in the past.</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">T</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">he
Project </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">is
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">supposed
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">to</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
be judged upon the extent to which it “will contribute </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">to
the integration of health care services and long term sustainability
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">of
the applicant...” (</span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(4)(a)).
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Focusing
on </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(4)(a)’s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
“sustainability” </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">clause</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
c</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">reating
an </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">additional
campus </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Downtown
f</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">or
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">A</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">pplicant
to build and maintain </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">intuitively
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">seems
to contradict this goal. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Intuition,
however, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">appears</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
substantiated by Applicant’s own numbers which reveal that,</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">in
spite of a projected reduction of 184 employees, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">there
will be</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">an</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">almost
33%</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
INCREASE in the number of employees </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">PER
BED</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
from about 4.75 before consolidation to at least 6.3 after
consolidation. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(See
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
number of beds cited above and Applicant’s pre and post
consolidation employee estimates </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">at</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
Draft EIS pp589-90/3527). </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">F</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ocusing
on the “integration of health care services” clause of
PBH2825-b(4)(a),</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">placing
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">an
additional </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">2
miles between </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">a</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">new
hospital </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Downtown
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">and
Applicant’s </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">24
bed </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">rehabilitation
and </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">202
bed </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">skilled
nursing </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">facilities</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">remaining
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">at
St. Luke’s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">seem</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">contrary
to</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">both
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">integration”
required by </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(4)(a)
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">and
</span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">’</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">general
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">purpose
to </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“consolidate
multiple licensed health care facilities...” </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
Project </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">is</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
also </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">to
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">be
judged on “the extent that the proposed capital project furthers
the</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">development
of primary care and other outpatient services...” </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">PBH
2825-b</span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(4)(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">d</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">).
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
presence of St. Luke’s Hospital has spawned </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">a
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">de
facto</span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
medical district of providers in the Utica Business Park and along
Burrstone and French Roads </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(e.g.
Slocum-Dixon Medical Group, Omni Surgical Center, Mohawk Valley
Endoscopy Center)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
Removal of the anchor institution, St. Luke’s Hospital, to Downtown
Utica </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">will
result in less convenience for the medical providers and their
patients, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">reduce
opportunities for collaboration,</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
and </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">appears
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">contrary
to the intent of </span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">PBH
2825-b</span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(4)(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">d</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Since
it acknowledges the feasibility of putting the Project on the St.
Luke’s Campus </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>and
its plan to retain </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>at
least some </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>services
</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>both
</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>there
and at SEMC</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>,
the Applicant needs to </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>explain
why </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>the
purpose and provisions of </b></span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>were
not seen as </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>a</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
“fatal flaw” to the Downtown </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Site
</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>(</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>and
to</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
any </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>site
other than St. Luke’s Campus)</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>,
</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>otherwise
its </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>“fatal
flaw” </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>analysis
appears </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>to
be </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>arbitrary</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>.</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">H.
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arbitrary/</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Subjective</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Criteria and Ranking Scheme: </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
most of the sites were eliminated due to “fatal flaws” the
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Summary
Memorandum</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">indicates
that the </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">remaining
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">three</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
(St. Luke’s, Downtown, and the Psych Center) were scored based on
points assigned for certain criteria. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
noted under </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">C</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
above, th</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">e</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Applicant made </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">no
effort to determine criteria to protect the Public Interest.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
criteria </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>that
were </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>chosen
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>appear</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>arbitrary/</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>subjective.
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
example, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">proximity
to the Thruway and Oriskany Blvd. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">is</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">deemed
important, but proximity to the Parkway/Pleasant/Burrstone corridor
that would collect traffic from Corn Hill,</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
South East Utica</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and
north</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">east</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ern
Town of New Hartford; </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and
French Rd./Champlin Ave. that would collect traffic from South Utica
and New Hartford Village, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">is</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
not.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Distance to employees (using zipcode “centroids” rather than
actual distances) is deemed important, but distance to actual
patients is not, and distance to medical providers is not. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
scoring appears equally </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>arbitrary/</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>subjective.</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two
points are assigned to Downtown for having a “Potential microgrid
opportunity,” while St. Luke’s received no points for actually
having a microgrid </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(the
Co-Gen Facility)</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
Why</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
were 4 points not deducted from Downtown for the 2500 foot gas line
referenced on Draft EIS p. 94/3527? </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why
was a point not added to St. Luke’s for not encroaching on a
potential federal wetland when the Draft EIS’ “Capacity Analysis”
(p. 1596/3527) demonstrates project elements could be arrange</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">d</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
on-site so as not to encroach on the wetland? </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
previously </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">indicated</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
the criteria have not been related to the purpose, objectives and
goals of </span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
so far as the environmental criteria are concerned, they appear
selective, subjectively scored and inadequately explained and have
not been related to the legal requirements of SEQRA (as detailed
under Part II</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>infra</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">)
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">to
avoid/minimize environmental impacts </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">or
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">of
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">other
provisions of the Environmental Conservation Law. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Applicant’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">choice
of</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
St. Luke’s rather than the 2</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">nd-</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ranked
Psych Center as its “second option” </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">suggests
that even Applicant believes that the scoring process </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">wa</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">s
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">arbitrary
and </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">subjective.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>In
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>light
of the above</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>,
the criteria and scoring provisions of the site selection process
appear to </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>have
been</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
arbitrar</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>il</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>y
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>chosen
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>and
calculated to achieve a predetermined result, </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>making
them unreliable for decision-making</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>.
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">I</span><span style="color: black;">.
Capacity Analysis: </span><span style="color: black;">A “conceptual
capacity analysis” was performed on the top three sites to,
essentially, position the elements of the Project on those sites.
Interestingly, the analysts chose to distinguish an “urban site”
(with a 10 acre requirement) from a “suburban site” (with a 45
acre requirement) without explaining why </span><span style="color: black;">an</span><span style="color: black;">
urban configuration of elements could not be employed on a suburban
site to conserve space, avoid environmental impacts, and allow for
future growth. Although an answer to the questi</span><span style="color: black;">o</span><span style="color: black;">n
“</span>What is the cost premium of the recommended site?” is
promised, it appears no where.<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">(Draft
EIS p. </span><span style="color: black;">39</span><span style="color: black;">/3527,
and Appendix D</span><span style="color: black;">).</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Again, the selection of data and
conclusions presented appear to be arbitrary and unreliable for
decision-making. </b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">J. The Site Selection Process’
failure to incorporate 6 NYCRR 617.7(c)(1) criteria makes the Draft
EIS incomplete and insufficient to support SEQR findings.</span><br />
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
levels of government that will fund and/or approve aspects of the
Project are oblig</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
to make a SEQR finding that the project will avoid or minimize
adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(etc.)</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
draft environmental impact statements must contain “</span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
description and evaluation of the range of reasonable alternatives to
the action that are feasible, considering the objectives and
capabilities of the project sponsor. . . The range of alternatives
may also include, as appropriate, alternative: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(a)
sites . . .”</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">6
NYCRR </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ec3ce68cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?originationContext=Search+Result&listSource=Search&viewType=FullText&navigationPath=Search%2Fv3%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fnavigation%2Fi0ad62d340000016161296e3dc0168453%3FstartIndex%3D1%26Nav%3DNYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW%26contextData%3D(sc.Default)&rank=2&list=NYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW&transitionType=SearchItem&contextData=(sc.Search)&t_querytext=6+CRR-NY+617.9&t_Method=WIN"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">617.9</span></span></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(b)(5)(v)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(a)).
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While
an applicant cannot be made to consider sites it does not own </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">or
have under option </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">as
an alternative</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(see
6 NYCRR </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ec3ce68cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?originationContext=Search+Result&listSource=Search&viewType=FullText&navigationPath=Search%2Fv3%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fnavigation%2Fi0ad62d340000016161296e3dc0168453%3FstartIndex%3D1%26Nav%3DNYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW%26contextData%3D(sc.Default)&rank=2&list=NYREGULATION_PUBLICVIEW&transitionType=SearchItem&contextData=(sc.Search)&t_querytext=6+CRR-NY+617.9&t_Method=WIN"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">617.9</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(b)(5)(v)
(‘g’)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">)
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(i.e.,
the Applicant here could not </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">have
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">be</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">en</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
made to consider Downtown as an alternative)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">where
an applicant, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">as
the Applicant here,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
admit</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">s
that it</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
owns a site that meets all its </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">objectives
and capabilities</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
government agency c</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ould</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
not honestly make its SEQR finding if it appeared that the owned-site
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">might</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
better avoid/mitigate adverse environmental impacts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
State has </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">promulgated</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
a non-exhaustive list of such </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">adverse
environmental </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">impacts
in </span></span></span><a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ec3ce62cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">6
NYCRR Part 617.7</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(c)(1).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
The </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Site
Selection Process failed to </b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>incorporate
these </b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>criteria</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">into
the analysis of site alternatives to permit the determination of</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
which</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">site</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">s</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
best minimize</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">d</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
or avoid</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
adverse environmental impacts </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(see
Part II</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>infra</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Failure
to include this analysis is fatal </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">to
going forward on the Downtown choice because at this point the record
is in</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">complete</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">for
the purposes of</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
support</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ing</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
a SEQR finding. </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
EIS needs to supply this information and be able to support a
conclusion that the Downtown Site better minimizes/avoids
environmental impacts.</span></span></span></b></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">K</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Undue
Influence:</span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Various
e-mails </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">(s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ee
</span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.nohospitaldowntown.com/oneida-county-hospital-email-dump.php"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">e-mail
‘dump’</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">or
</span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.uticaod.com/news/20180111/read-local-officials-emails-about-downtown-hospital-project"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">images</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">)
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">exchanged
in January and February 2015 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">(</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">about
the time that the </span></span></span></span><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/pbh/article-28/2825-b"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">PBH
2825-b</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">funding
was announced</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
among County Executive Anthony Picente; former State Senator, County
Executive and current counsel to MVHS Raymond Meier; La</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">wrence</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
Gilroy, Co-chairman of the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic
Development Council </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">(MVREDC)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">;
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mohawk
Valley EDGE </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">(MVEDGE)
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">President
Steven DiMeo and Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi; </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">reveal
that th</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">is
group of</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
individuals, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">who
are effectively the local “gate-keepers” controlling Applicant’s
access to the State’s Grant apparatus, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">wanted
the Project </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">to
be </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">located
Downtown </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">for
urban renewal purposes </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">and
that they </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">would
try to </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">steer
the process to that end</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">R</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">elevant
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">to
th</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">is</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">is
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">the</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
2/3/2015 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">e-mail
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">from</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mr.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">DiMeo
to </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mr.
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Brindisi
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">wherein</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mr.
DiMeo state</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">d</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><i>"
… My whole thought process in bringing Elan on board is </i><i><b>to
make sure that we guide siting decision in favor of downtown...</b></i><i>"
</i><i>[emphasis supplied].</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">MVEDGE
hired Elan to do the site selection study, and the Summary Memorandum
was provided by MVEDGE, Elan, and O’Brien</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">&
Gere (OBG, also author of the Draft EIS). </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also
relevant </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">is</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
the 11/5/2015 e-mail from </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mr.</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
Brindisi to Mr. DiMeo, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">wherein
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mr.
Brindisi state</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">d</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">:
</span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> “…
I feel like walking away from this whole thing and telling the
community and hospital if you don't want this thing downtown then
good luck at St Luke's and don't come see me for one ounce of state
support ...”</i></span></span><br />
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">gainst
the backdrop of a Summary Memorandum that </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">shows
an inconsistent and somewhat arbitrary process, the still-secret
status of the siting study, and Applicant’s voluntary designation
of St. Luke’s Campus as its ‘second option,’ </span></span></span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the
e-mail</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">s</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">suggest
that the </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">site
selection process may have been tainted by undue influence and that
the conclusions and recommendations of the site selection process, to
the extent reported in the Draft EIS, reflect this influence and must
be </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">discounted</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
accordingly.</span></span></span></b></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">L.
Conclusions regarding Site Selection:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Applicant is unable to proceed on the Downtown Site in light of its
ownership of a satisfactory site at St. Luke’s Campus, and the lack
of data in the EIS to support a conclusion that the Downtown Site
better avoids/minimizes adverse impacts than the St. Luke’s Campus
– which is unlikely given the analysis in Part III below.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Applicant’s
choice of its St. Luke’s Campus as a “second option” is
supportable on the existing record because it already owns the site
and cannot be made to consider sites it neither owns nor has options
upon. If the Applicant wants to proceed with the Project on the St.
Luke’s Campus, it would accordingly have to revise its designs and
the EIS.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-ii-relevant-environmental-concerns.html" target="_blank">continued</a>)</span></span></span></div>
Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-42705950490080287912019-01-15T18:40:00.002-05:002019-01-21T09:44:39.691-05:00The Downtown Hospital DEIS: Not Protecting the Environment (and not improving health care)Days before Thanksgiving, the Utica Planning Board released for Public comment the <a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf" target="_blank">3500</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cityofutica.com/Assets/Departments/Urban-and-Economic-Development/PDF-Documents/MVHS/DEIS%20111518%20combined.pdf" target="_blank">page Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) </a>on Mohawk Valley Health System’s<br />
(MVHS, the Applicant) proposed Downtown Utica Hospital (the Project). Here are highlights of<br />
my filed comments<b>. [My full set of comments will be published here, in parts, over the next few days.]</b> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-i-site-selection-downtown-hospital.html" target="_blank"><b>I. The Site-Selection Process</b></a>:<br />
<br />
When MVHS announced in September 2015 that it had chosen Downtown as the site of its<br />
Project, it took the unusual step of also announcing that its own St. Luke’s Campus would be<br />
a back-up “which the board feels will also serve the community well.” With that, why was there<br />
even a need to look elsewhere? FOIL-ed e-mails have since made clear that local officials<br />
used their positions and influence to steer the Project to Downtown for urban renewal – not<br />
health care -- purposes. The “Site Selection Process” (we still do not have the actual study)<br />
described in the DEIS, employing arbitrary criteria and subjective scoring, was designed to<br />
lead the hospital board and the public into believing that Downtown was somehow a<br />
legitimate choice.<br />
<br />
But it is not a legitimate choice.<br />
<br />
Public Health Law 2825-b (the Grant) requires that the Public be deeply involved in shaping<br />
the Project – but the Public was cut out of the Site Selection Process. The Grant is to be<br />
used to “contribute to the integration of health care services and long term sustainability of the<br />
applicant” – but putting the Project Downtown DISINTEGRATES services by separating<br />
MVHS’ hospital from its rehab facility and nursing home, which will remain at St. Luke’s. This<br />
would give MVHS an additional campus to manage. When one applies a little math to the<br />
DEIS’ numbers showing reductions in hospital beds and employment, the number of<br />
employees per hospital bed actually INCREASES from 4.75 to about 6.3. Does that sound<br />
“sustainable?” The Grant is also to be used to further “the development of primary care and<br />
other outpatient services,” but removing the anchor institution from the <i>de facto</i> medical<br />
district of providers and services which have grown up in the Utica Business Park and along<br />
Burrstone and French Roads nearby (e.g., Slocum Dixon Medical Group, Omni Surgical<br />
Center, Mohawk Valley Endoscopy Center) would seem to have the opposite effect.<br />
<br />
<b>Simply put, putting the Project Downtown (instead of at St. Luke’s) UNDERMINES the intent of the Grant.</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-ii-relevant-environmental-concerns.html" target="_blank"><b> II. Relevant Environmental Concerns</b></a>:<br />
<br />
The DEIS acknowledges that the Project Downtown will result in multiple significant environmental impacts and proposes mitigation for them. Unfortunately, the DEIS (1) downplays or entirely leaves out impacts and (2) fails to consider that most adverse environmental impacts can be minimized or avoided by simply relocating the Project to the St. Luke’s Campus, where the completed facility would result in ONLY 27 BEDS of net increase on that site. <br />
<br />
The DEIS uses significantly different numbers for the Project’s water usage vs its waste water production, failing to demonstrate whether all wastewater will be treated or whether it will pass through one of Utica’s Combined Sewer Overflows untreated into the Canal or River. It fails to distinguish the Project’s potential to create flooding from the nearby 7/1/17 flood that took place on the newly reopened (and presumably properly designed) N-S Arterial. It fails to acknowledge that the Project is inconsistent with the Utica Master Plan, Gateway Historic Canal District requirements, and Utica’s street ordinances. While it acknowledges many architectural and historic structures/places will be destroyed/disturbed/altered, it proposes little in mitigation other than perhaps make records of what is found and keep a few artifacts before demolition takes place. The DEIS acknowledges that the Project will generate traffic, close streets, and reduce the capacity of certain intersections to move traffic – and inundates the reader with mountains of calculated minutiae – but both descriptions and traffic modeling fail to acknowledge that the disruption of the Street Grid (with parallel streets that can be used to go around the blockages typically found in any busy city) could turn what now would be a minor inconvenience (e.g., from delivery trucks, broken water mains, sporting and cultural events, etc.) into gridlock. The DEIS blathers on about which organizations are responsible for what response in the event that a train hauling Bakken Crude were to derail 900 ft. from the Project, but fails to answer the basic question: Is evacuation of what will be Utica’s only hospital even possible in that situation?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-iii-matrix-st-lukes-campus-vs.html"><b>III. Comparison of St. Luke’s Campus with Downtown using environmental regulatory criteria.</b></a><br />
<br />
While the DEIS made much ado about its made-up criteria for Site Selection, it completely disregarded the environmental criteria indicating significant adverse environmental impacts found in New York State regulations (specifically 6 NYCRR Part 617.7(c)(1)). These criteria could have and should have been used to compare St. Luke’s with Downtown to see which site would best minimize or avoid the environmental impacts of the Project – but were not. Taking only a few hours, I came up with Downtown having nineteen (19) adverse environmental impacts vs only one (1) for St. Luke’s. Different people might apply the regulations to the sites and come up with numbers different from mine. However, most people using a little common sense would conclude that trying to shoehorn a hospital with acres of parking into the middle of a Central Business District that was built for another era, another style of development, and a different purpose, would be more disruptive to the environment than locating the hospital on a site that had enough room and had been specifically designed for that type of use. <b>The environmental criteria alone should have disqualified the Downtown site.</b> It is no surprise that the choice of site is still a controversial topic even after three years.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2019/01/part-iv-seqra-process-conclusion.html"><b>IV. The State Environmental Quality Review Process</b></a><br />
<br />
As described in the SEQR Handbook (p.3) : <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“SEQR establishes a process to systematically consider environmental factors early in the planning stages of actions that are directly undertaken, funded or approved by local, regional and state agencies. By incorporating environmental review early in the planning stages, projects can be modified as needed to avoid adverse impacts on the environment.”</i></blockquote>
The availability of State funds for the Project was announced in early 2015, the site for the<br />
Project was announced in September, 2015, and we just got around to SEQR in 2018 when the Oneida County Industrial Development Agency made a Positive Declaration. Does that sound like “incorporating environmental review early in the planning stages” so that “projects can be modified as needed to avoid adverse impacts on the environment?”<br />
<br />
The regulations make clear that a government agency cannot undertake, fund or approve of an action until it has complied with the provisions of SEQR (see 6 NYCRR 617.3 (a)). But that is, in deed, what happened at least as far back as Summer 2016 when Oneida County and the City of Utica put their planners to the task of engaging in regular meetings with MVHS to help plan for a Downtown Hospital. Government employee time is money, and providing planners to plan a Downtown Hospital was funding it – all done before the SEQR process was opened.<br />
<br />
If the applicability of SEQR and need for an EIS was not apparent to the local authorities at that point in time, then it should have been apparent when the County Legislature approved funding for MVEDGE to provide property appraisal services to MVHS in pursuit of the Downtown Site. The County should have stopped further action and opened the SEQR process then, but it did not. Nothing was done about SEQR until there was an “application” that triggered a review – but, as noted above, the law wants the environment taken into consideration “early in the planning stages” so that “projects can be modified as needed to avoid adverse impacts on the environment.” <br />
<br />
<b>Simply put, Utica and Oneida County materially aided this Project for over two years before they got around to considering the Environment.</b><br />
<br />
Under SEQR, before giving approvals, the agencies reviewing this Project must be able to find that the Project avoids or minimizes adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable.<br />
<br />
<b>At this point in time the Planning Board is faced with (1) an EIS that cannot support a SEQR finding because St. Luke’s appears to be the environmentally superior site and (2) having to give up its Lead Agency jurisdiction because it has no legal authority over the St. Luke’s Campus in New Hartford.<br /><br />The EIS must be rejected as inadequate, and the process reopened for a new Lead Agency to produce a revised Draft EIS that addresses all the issues.</b><br />
<br />
<i>[<a href="https://www.uticaphoenix.net/2019/01/13/the-downtown-hospital-deis-not-protecting-the-environment-and-not-improving-health-care/" target="_blank">This article also appears in the January 2019</a> <a href="https://www.uticaphoenix.net/" target="_blank"><b>Utica Phoenix</b></a>. Pick up a copy from a news rack near you.] </i> Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-68276780975428937802019-01-02T12:40:00.001-05:002019-01-02T12:42:48.107-05:00Our Abominable Environmental Record . . .Another year, another Observer-Dispatch article about climate change: <a href="https://www.uticaod.com/news/20190102/climate-report-warns-of-increased-flooding-in-region" target="_blank">Climate report warns of increased flooding in region.</a><br />
<br />
The article's focus on "climate change" is an unfortunate distraction from the Mohawk Valley's real environmental issue: <b>urban sprawl</b>.<br />
<br />
Simply put, governmental policies have encouraged our shrinking population to occupy ever more acreage in an unsustainable fashion. This not only has resulted in increased taxes and water/sewer user fees to extend and maintain services into less densely-populated areas, but has resulted in environmental consequences -- flooding being one of them.<br />
<br />
As the urbanized population spreads out, there are more roads, parking lots, roofs etc. covering more land, preventing the infiltration of rainwater (i.e. wasting the natural capacity of the covered areas to hold water), and increasing the amount of runoff which will to go somewhere lower quickly. If what is on the receiving end of the runoff cannot absorb or carry it away, flooding is the result. This is not due to a changing climate, but to poor design that fails to account for the lack of capacity of what is on the receiving end.<br />
<br />
Case in point: the 7/1/17 flood event on the newly-reopened North-South Arterial south of Court St. The neighborhood has a naturally high water table anyway so flooding has been common for years on Lincoln Ave. But the Arterial never flooded until its remake added acres of concrete that would quickly shed water in a storm, and a concrete median would act like a dam. In news accounts state officials claimed that their drains were working properly -- but what good is a drain if it leads to something that is filled to capacity? There was simply no place for the water to go.
Sounds like no one bothered to check to ensure sufficient capacity in what would get all the new runoff. Maybe the old bed of the Chenango Canal was not the place for an expanded Arterial. That's design error, or placement error -- not climate change! Did the O-D ever follow up on this? Of course not. That might put someone on the spot. <br />
<br />
In so far as the article's discussion of the Water Pollution Control Plant goes, the WPCP expansion became necessary not due to climate change but County violation of the Clean Water Act. Oneida County failed to properly manage its sewer system to accommodate urbanization in New Hartford and Whitestown. We would not have a "Consent Order" if there had not been a law violation. While there have been many stories on the Consent Order and the millions it is costing sewer users, did the O-D ever do a story on how the violation occurred? Or what changes would be necessary to ensure that similar legal problems would not occur elsewhere in the future? Of course not. That might put someone on the spot.<br />
<br />
Instead of fixating on "climate change" that is not going to be solved locally, the O-D needs to examine how our own local officials deal with environmental problems and laws. But that would expose not only official errors, but the O-D's own willingness to dispense with environmental requirements to expedite an agenda.<br />
<br />
Here I am speaking of the Downtown Hospital and both Oneida County and Utica officials. New York's environmental laws require that BEFORE government approves or funds a project, the government must comply with the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. That was not done here. Oneida County and Utica both tasked employees to attend regular meetings with MVHS to aid the planning of the Downtown Hospital -- expenditure of funds on these employees was aiding the project. Then Oneida County funded MVEDGE to obtain property appraisals for MVHS -- funding the project before complying with SEQR. Then there was the agreement for the parking garage . . . . <br />
<br />
It took three years before local government got around to considering the environmental consequences of the Downtown Hospital. But by then they had already decided for it to be Downtown -- before considering environmental impacts.<br />
<br />
Anyone with an ounce of common sense could tell you that it is more environmentally disruptive to try to shoehorn a hospital and acres of parking into a Central Business District designed in another era, for other purposes, and used for other purposes for almost two centuries, than putting it on a campus already designed for the same kind of use. But doing what is right environmentally would mean putting the hospital at St. Luke's --- which is not the agenda.<br />
<br />
<b>It's nice to show environmental concern by talking about "climate change." But let's not let "climate change" distract us from the real environmental abominations occurring right under our noses.</b> Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-59636819601357936412018-12-06T10:42:00.000-05:002018-12-06T10:42:58.152-05:00More OD Confusion and Over-Simplification re Environmental Policy . . . The OD Editorial "<a href="https://www.uticaod.com/opinion/20181206/good-environmental-policy-natures-best-healer" target="_blank">Good environmental policy nature's best healer</a>" states the obvious. Good environmental laws have produced great benefits for both our environment and "We the People." <br />
<br />
The editorial board goes wrong when it, again, <a href="http://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2018/08/od-conflating-acid-rain-with-climate.html" target="_blank">conflates acid rain with climate change</a>, seemingly for the purpose of taking a pot shot at President Trump for rescinding the Obama Administration's Clean Power Plan. The issues of Climate Change and Acid Rain are different, scientifically and legally.<br />
<br />
Acid Rain is caused by specific pollutants that are listed in the Clean Air Act (CAA) because <b>Congress determined that the benefits of regulating those pollutants outweighed the detriments. </b> The "Clean Power Plan" (CPP), however, had nothing to do with the listed pollutants, but, rather, was directed toward reducing CO2 in the belief that it would help to prevent Climate Change.<br />
<br />
<b>Neither CO2 nor Climate Change are mentioned in the CAA because Congress was not able to agree that these should be subject to regulation.</b> <br />
<br />
Regulation of CO2 was authorized under a different provision of the CAA, based upon an EPA (not Congressional) finding that CO2 causes sufficient harm to humans to be worth regulating. Because a regulation impacts people's lives, the determination is not purely a scientific one, but, rather, it has a political component. While there appears to be a scientific consensus that CO2 should be regulated, that is not the same as Congress (or an administrative agency) that are ultimately <b>answerable to the people</b> making that determination. <br />
<br />
S<b>ince a number of scientists do not see a clear benefit from regulating CO2, the Trump Administration is free to rely upon their opinions, rescind the EPA finding, and rescind the CPP.</b> <br />
<br />
If the Editorial Board, or OD readers, are sincere in their belief that CO2 needs to be regulated, they need to lobby Congress to change the CAA to specifically regulate CO2 to prevent Climate Change. It will then be up to Congress to balance the benefits against the detriments to determine if such regulation is needed. <br />
<br />
If Congress strikes the wrong balance it will have a political price to pay (as is apparently happening now in France with the "Gilet Jaune" (Yellow Vest) movement). <br />
<br />
<b>In the end, Protecting the Environment must always involve doing what is Best for People.</b> Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-71069713369206209532018-11-25T11:59:00.000-05:002018-11-25T12:26:27.594-05:00The Fake Site Selection "Process" . . . According to the Observer-Dispatch: "<a href="https://www.uticaod.com/news/20181125/study-reveals-how-downtown-hospital-site-was-chosen">Study reveals how downtown hospital site was chosen</a>"
<br />
<br />
Actually the study DOES NOT reveal how the Downtown Site was chosen <b>because it does not explain how the Downtown Site got on the list of sites to be considered.</b><br />
<br />
Five of the 12 sites are golf courses; three others include current or former hospital sites; one is a business park; one is owned by a business; one sounds like vacant land; and, finally, one is Downtown.<br />
<br />
Supposedly "parcels 50 acres and larger" were identified to host the facility, but the Downtown Site is neither 50 acres, nor is it a "parcel," but, rather, it is about 25 acres consisting of about 90 parcels, occupied by about 40 business and other entities, plus blocks of city streets. <b>The dis-similarity of the Downtown Site to all the others on the list begs the question: "Why was Downtown even looked at?"</b> <br />
<br />
It's clear from the FOILed e-mails of county officials that the site selection "process" involved designating sites that could be eliminated (straw-men to be knocked down) in order to steer the MVHS Board to choose the Downtown Site that was preferred by local economic development and various elected officials. "Elan" was the consultant brought on board by EDGE to perform this task. <a href="https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21ABdiChSpJ8o9LZQ&cid=AB7358731635DE26&id=AB7358731635DE26%211341&parId=AB7358731635DE26%211333&o=OneUp" target="_blank"> Per the 2/3/2015 e-mail of EDGE President Steven DiMeo to Anthony Brindisi</a> . . .<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f4f4d7; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>My whole thought process in bringing Elan on board is to make sure that we guide siting decision in favor of downtown."</b></span></i></blockquote>
This Blog previously drew the conclusion that<b> <a href="http://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2018/02/downtown-hospital-what-were-siting.html" target="_blank">no criteria were included in the siting process to protect the public's interest</a>.</b> The "Summary Memo" of the selection process included in the Hospital's Draft Environmental Impact Statement reinforces this conclusion. <br />
<br />
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement's failure to include the actual Site Selection Study (as opposed to a "Summary Memo") and to explain how the Downtown Site even was put on the list leads to the conclusion that <b>the site selection "process" was merely a sham - window dressing - to hide from the Hospital Board, the Public, and, now, the involved State Agencies that putting the hospital Downtown was merely the arbitrary and personal choice of certain local officials.</b><br />
<b> </b>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-18297868839261954292018-11-04T14:58:00.001-05:002018-11-04T15:03:13.031-05:00Win, Place, or Show -- 3 Ways to Win by Voting for Larry Sharpe...In case you missed the 4-way debate for NY Governor (Cuomo absented himself) held by the League of Women Voters, <a href="https://youtu.be/xV5iLGSt5Es" target="_blank">here is a link</a>. The awfully-moderated earlier debate between Cuomo and Molinaro may be painfully watched <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj1-dq4pLveAhUK_4MKHaFeCecQwqsBMAZ6BAgGEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFcl6Alpw5WY&usg=AOvVaw1duI_3XseyPLGrQv9kmoR1" target="_blank">here</a>. (It only demonstrates Cuomo's big mouth and lack of self control).<br />
<br />
We know that Cuomo's policies have produced zilch results economically for Upstate NY, in spite of spending unprecedented amounts ($Billions) of tax dollars on buildings for industries, airports, and public infrastructure. How many times does the Communist approach to economic development (public ownership of the means of production) have to be tried before it is relegated to the dust-bin of history?<br />
<br />
Mr. Molinaro, while more moderate than Mr. Cuomo, is unconvincing that he would bring needed changes to New York. On social issues he expresses <a href="https://nypost.com/2018/10/31/molinaro-id-support-strengthening-laws-protecting-abortion/" target="_blank">more concern about maintaining abortion rights</a> than he does about protecting 2nd Amendment rights (his running mate is pro-SAFE Act). He may wear the Republican label but acts like a "Lite Democrat."<br />
<br />
Most telling, and concerning, was Mr. Molinaro's side-stepping any endorsement of President Trump's economic policies, even after at least 3 challenges by Mr. Cuomo to do so. Does Molinaro not see the significant improvement in the Nation's business climate brought by Trump's tax changes and regulation reductions? The economic numbers are the best the Nation has seen in Decades! Why would the State's GOP pick for Governor not embrace the President's policies that have worked so well, particularly in "flyover" parts of the country that are similar to Upstate NY? Why would the GOP pick for Governor not show how NY could profit from these policies? Is he OK with the Nation leaving NY behind?<br />
<br />
Libertarian Larry Sharpe, with the "less government" message, offers the best hope for New York to advance economically, especially in the Trump era. He is the ONLY candidate that recognizes that turning New York around will require a "culture change" toward less government in Albany. He has demonstrated his willingness to take on that challenge given the map of all the places in New York State that he has visited during his campaign. I don't think we have ever seen a candidate for governor work this hard!<br />
<br />
Mr. Sharpe is clearly in this race to win -- and if he does, New York will become a much better place to live by shrinking the size of government and its control over our lives.<br />
<br />
But if you vote for Mr. Sharpe, you will win Something even if he comes in second or third.<br />
<br />
In New York, a Party's placement on a ballot depends upon the number of votes cast for the Party in the governor's race. <b>If Sharpe places second, the Libertarian Party will take over the second line on the Ballot, sending a strong message to Republican leadership that it needs to change in a "less government" direction.</b><br />
<br />
There have been a LOT of funny (ha ha) radio ads asking voters to vote for Mr. Molinaro on the Conservate Party Line "to show support for President Trump" - which makes them "funny" in a "weird" sense since Mr. Molinaro does not support President Trump. The ads show Conservative Party desperation to hold on to that 3rd Ballot line -- which is too often squandered on candidates that are not really conservative. <b>If Sharpe places 3rd, which he can do very easily, the Libertarian Party will take over the 3rd line, telling the Conservative Party that it needs to move in a "less government" direction. </b><br />
<br />
<b>Culture change in Albany will not come easily. A vote for Sharpe gives the voter 3 chances to start that culture change.</b> <br />
<br />Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-89666071916739063582018-11-03T17:44:00.000-04:002018-11-03T20:43:56.958-04:00Bigger than Tenney v Brindisi . . .Tuesday's congressional election is bigger than Tenney v Brindisi and Gillibrand vs Farley. It is about who will control the Congress. Here's your real ballot (from a Facebook meme):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8apanhjtdpw/W94Vyfj0AsI/AAAAAAAABVw/DLdWRpKlNKwCMgwDFNPKIOwmcpkYJ61GACLcBGAs/s1600/DvR.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="673" height="227" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8apanhjtdpw/W94Vyfj0AsI/AAAAAAAABVw/DLdWRpKlNKwCMgwDFNPKIOwmcpkYJ61GACLcBGAs/s320/DvR.png" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It is also directing your own life vs government running your life, and taking care of Americans vs taking care of the world. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Democrats have moved to the radical left. "Medicare for All" means taking Medicare from Seniors who have paid into it for a lifetime and using it to pay for medicare for everyone else. It won't be healthcare between you and your doctor -- it will be between you and your government. Proposed Democrat "middle class tax cuts" (see Kamala Harris) will be "Welfare for All" because they are designed to make the middle class as dependent upon government checks as the poor. Democrats want to control you and everything about you, including what you think, say or do. They will use every means necessary to take power and lord it over you -- including turning government agencies against those with differing ideas, spying on phone conversations, invading personal computers, harassing individuals and their families, filing spurious or false charges and lawsuits, and character assassination. Once they have power, they will not cede to contrary wishes of the voters because they will populate the government with civil servants that will be obedient only to them. These are things that have already been done, or will be done. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The election is no longer about who will represent you, but in what direction do you want the country to move.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-29141962430938566912018-09-20T10:32:00.000-04:002018-09-20T10:32:27.777-04:00My Apology! I love it when people comment on my posts, even when they disagree. I approve probably 95% of the comments coming my way, usually within 24 hours.<br />
<br />
However, I discovered this morning a cache of 17 comments going back several weeks that somehow escaped my notice (i.e., I never got an e-mail that someone had commented.) They have now been approved and posted.<br />
<br />
So to those of my readers who posted comments and did not see them, I was not ignoring you.<br />
<br />
My Apology!Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-20520200041674905472018-08-31T07:26:00.002-04:002018-08-31T07:28:30.552-04:00OD Conflating Acid Rain with Climate Change . . . In Response to OD's VIEW: <a href="http://www.uticaod.com/opinion/20180831/our-view-new-energy-plan-bad-for-adks-environment">New energy plan bad for ADKs, environment</a><br />
<br />
It is wrong when an editorial board plays upon people's ignorance to advance a political agenda.<br />
<br />
The culprit in acid rain is SO2 and NOx, NOT Greenhouse Gases, and it is misleading to conflate the two. The mechanisms producing Acid Rain are well understood, SO2 and NOx emissions have already been limited, and the benefits are capable of being calculated and documented. <br />
<br />
The Obama Clean Power Plan, however, was targeted to preventing Climate Change, not Acid Rain, by curbing Greenhouse Gas emissions (mainly CO2). While many claim that CO2 is driving climate change, the mechanisms producing climate change are not as clear as those producing Acid Rain, and the benefits of restricting CO2 through the Clean Power Plan are speculative. Accepting UN calculations, the Paris Accord would only shave an imperceptible fraction of a degree from world temperature -- meaning that US citizens would have been forced to suffer a reduction in their standard of living to achieve virtually nothing.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately those of us in Upstate NY have been forced to sacrifice our economy for the "environmentally virtuous" policies of Andrew Cuomo and his predecessors going back to Mario Cuomo. <br />
<br />
<b>"Protecting the Environment" is emotionally appealing, but unintended consequences to Ordinary People need to be determined and understood, too, if public policy is to be sound. </b>Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-41777404286522829952018-08-07T10:41:00.000-04:002018-08-07T10:45:01.718-04:00Net Neutrality: Unneeded and Counter Productive . . . Per today's OD: <a href="http://www.uticaod.com/news/20180807/lawmakers-new-cable-operator-should-observe-net-neutrality">Lawmakers: New cable operator should observe net neutrality</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Democrats in the New York state Assembly say any broadband provider picked to replace Charter Communications in the state should be required to observe net neutrality. . . </i><br />
<br />
<i>"The lawmakers say whichever company replaces Charter should be prohibited from altering web speeds or traffic to favor certain sites or apps."
</i></blockquote>
Good luck finding a provider willing to do this without an outlandish NYS-style taxpayer or ratepayer subsidy to finance defiance of the laws of economics. Net Neutrality may sound good, but it is really the opposite.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Requiring "Net Neutrality" unnecessarily extends government control, worsening service, raising rates for most people, and inhibiting expansion and innovation. </b><br />
<br />
<b>"Unnecessary"</b> because new technologies (eg., 4G LTE) are introducing competition into the marketplace, giving customers options of doing business with another internet provider if they feel their current provider is being unfair to them.<br />
<br />
<b>"Worsening service" and "raising rates"</b> because non-affiliated content makers (eg. TV channels, movie industry, news sources, etc. ) will siphon income that the internet provider needs to maintain its network. Remember that Spectrum/Time Warner Cable/ and Harron Communications (locally) began with delivering content (TV), not internet, and their wired networks' well-being depended upon the income received for content. <br />
<br />
<b>"Inhibiting expansion and innovation"</b> because a provider will not make the needed investment if an investment will benefit competitors more than itself.<br />
<br />
It's like the old "Fairness Doctrine" of 40-50 years ago which required that broadcasters give "equal time" to opposing viewpoints. The result was that many broadcasters simply stopped disseminating any viewpoints at all in order to avoid the government's paper work. Instead of providing the public with alternative viewpoints on an issue, the public would up receiving less information.<br />
<br />
With apologies to Mies van der Rohe, <b>"Less (governmental control) is More (public benefit)" </b> Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19639077.post-50685589153231192862018-07-31T00:01:00.000-04:002018-08-05T19:12:51.780-04:00PSC: Substituting "Politician" for "the Public" . . . Continuing on the subject of "<a href="http://strikeslip.blogspot.com/2018/07/screwing-upstate-again.html" target="_blank">Short Circuiting Upstate</a>," the <i>NY Post</i> opines that <a href="https://nypost.com/2018/07/26/consumers-are-going-to-lose-in-cuomos-bet-on-wind-energy/">"Consumers are going to lose in Cuomo’s bet on wind energy</a>." The <i>Post</i> explains that the <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/PSC_OffshoreWind_order.pdf" target="_blank">Cuomo-PSC Order</a> will require NY utilities to purchase offshore-wind power that will cost <b>FOUR TIMES</b> the current average cost of power in NYS -- with that current average being already 40% higher than the national average! The <i>Post</i> suggests that damages to the environment, the fishing industry and grounds, and navigation will also result from the Cuomo-PSC action.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/ViewDoc.aspx?DocRefId={F465FCCF-ED05-4336-B2E5-10D3E50CE48C}" target="_blank">environmental impact statement</a> (EIS) for the PSC Order avoids assessing specific environmental impacts with a statement that the order is not tied to any particular site. The EIS only considers "no action" as a reasonable alternative, <b>with nuclear power</b> -- particularly the <i>continuation</i> <i>of existing</i> Indian Point nuclear power (which Cuomo has vowed to shut down by 2021) --<b> conspicuous by its absence</b>. <b>It certainly looks like the SEQRA process</b>, which in barest essence is supposed to ensure that decision-makers will know the environmental consequences of what they are doing,<b> has been bent to fit the governor's notion of what is in the public interest. </b>But, as the <i>Post</i> editorial suggests, it is not just SEQRA that is being bent:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>During his successful 1932 run for the White House, New York Gov. Franklin Roosevelt campaigned hard on the issue of electricity affordability. In a speech in Portland, Ore., he told voters that as governor, he had made sure that the New York Public Service Commission was acting “as an agent of the public.”<b> Because electric utilities are monopolies, government’s job was to ensure consumers get a “fair deal” — “adequate service and reasonable rates.</b>”</i></blockquote>
Gov. Roosevelt's view reflects the "traditional" view of why we have a PSC: Certain services are so expensive to implement that they would never be built without the builder being assured that competitors will not prevent the builder from recouping its costs. The government grants the builder a monopoly in return for government control of rates to keep consumers from being gouged. How times have changed!<br />
<br />
<b>Does PSC forcing Utilities to purchase power that costs 4 times the current inflated average sound like ensuring that <i>"consumers get a 'fair deal?'"</i> </b><br />
<br />
Now the Cuomo-PSC is at the center of another controversy. Per WKTV "<a href="http://www.wktv.com/content/news/New-York-PSC-orders-Charter-Spectrum-to-leave-New-York-State-489364571.html" target="_blank">Public Service Commission orders Charter/Spectrum to leave New York State</a>" because, supposedly, Spectrum has not lived up to promises to expand its broadband network to underserved areas. Assemblyman Brindisi was quick to jump on the bandwagon. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"It’s high time New York cut the cord with Spectrum Cable and provided
residents with more competition. Over the past several years, I have
heard from literally hundreds of constituents who have called me and
signed my online petition, and they are absolutely fed up. They’ve had
it with poor customer service; sudden surprise rate hikes they cannot
afford; and promises that are not being kept by Spectrum. What is just
as bad is that thousands of New Yorkers who are waiting for the
broadband access Spectrum keeps advertising it is providing are still
stuck with 20th Century technology. I am pleased that the PSC is taking
these serious concerns to heart, and is looking out for the hundreds of
thousands of Spectrum customers across the state being shortchanged when
it comes to cable and Internet service.” </i></blockquote>
<b>First, how does kicking a company out of the marketplace provide residents "with more competition?"</b><br />
<br />
<b>Second</b>, per <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/07/new-york-revokes-approval-of-chartertime-warner-cable-merger/" target="_blank"><i>Ars Technica,</i></a> <b>the "poor service" and "surprise rate hikes" cited by Mr. Brindisi are NOT the basis for the PSC's order.</b> In fact,<a href="http://www3.dps.ny.gov/W/PSCWeb.nsf/All/0E2474A06D5A31AC85257687006F3960?OpenDocument" target="_blank"> the PSC acknowledges</a> that it does not regulate the rates that seem to bother people. Rather, PSC is in a snit because broadband is not being extended quickly enough -- in its opinion. However <i>that </i>dispute involves <i>potential</i> customers, not those of us who are already paying the bills. In other words, PSC is NOT "<i>looking out for the hundreds of thousands of Spectrum customers being shortchanged when it comes to cable and Internet service"</i> as claimed by Mr. Brindisi, but, rather, for those hoping that the government will give them the opportunity to become customers at someone else's expense.<br />
<br />
If water and sewer service extensions are a guide (the subject of many blog posts here) , <b>extension of wired services into sparsely populated areas will lead to higher rates for us all because <i>someone</i> will have to pay to install and maintain all that additional wire and other equipment, and there are not enough <i>someones</i> in the rural areas to do it.</b> In essence, this is a redistribution scheme where more money will have to be taken from those with broadband to give broadband to those without it.<br />
<br />
In addition, the Cuomo-PSC directive forces Spectrum to spend money on a (wired) technology that will become uneconomical in rural areas as newer (wireless) methods of product delivery become available - ensuring that the builder <b>will not</b> be able to recover its costs. (See the difference between FDR in 1932 and now?)<br />
<br />
These two stories indicate that the <b>role of the PSC has changed from an organization that nurtures development while protecting the public from gouging, to one that defies the laws of economics to advance political agendas</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>The Public Service Commission's name should be changed to the Politician Service Commission because its mission now, apparently, is to make politicians look good.</b> <br />
<br />Strikesliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06383092011334194853noreply@blogger.com2