Seven weeks after he withdrew a controversial application to expand the United Riverhead Terminal in Northville, owner John Catsimatidis is now exploring legal options to revive his efforts — and residents are once again up in arms.
Mr. Catsimatidis began a push in September to convert two of the Sound Shore Road site’s 20 oil storage tanks to hold gasoline and to build two new 19,000-gallon tanks to store ethanol. However, some community members raised concerns that the expansion would lower property values, create substantial traffic buildup and pose an environmental and safety risk.
In the face of the local opposition and the town board’s reluctance to support the expansion plans, Mr. Catsimatidis, a New York City mayoral candidate in 2013, pulled the plans in late April.
Newsday broke word on Tuesday of the owner’s plans to revive the proposal.
Neil Krupnick, president of the Northville Beach Civic Association — the organization that led the charge against the expansion — said he was unsurprised to learn of the grocery and energy magnate’s latest efforts.
“He’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants,” Mr. Krupnick said. “He’s unhappy about the decision that was going to be made by the board to reject his decision on legal grounds, so now he’s trying to find a way around.”
Mr. Catsimatidis would not reveal specifically what his next steps would be — or even if he would be proposing the same exact plans — but said that he is “open” and exploring a variety of strategies.
“We want what’s fair for everybody,” he said in a Thursday interview. “That’s the way we’ve always handled it.”
Mr. Catsimatidis said complaints about the expansion are unsubstantiated and said he has made some concessions in the meantime, including limiting the speed of his trucks on Sound Shore Road to 20 miles per hour.
“What we’re trying to do is work with the community,” he said. “We are community-minded people. Safety is number one.”
However, opponents remain unconvinced.
Linda Cavallaro, a Queens resident who has owned a second home in Northville since 1990, said on Thursday morning that she was “not happy” to hear the news about the project’s likely revival, and believed the community’s concerns have largely gone ignored by the oil company.
Peter Meyer, another resident, shared similar thoughts on Thursday morning.
“[Mr. Catsimatidis] doesn’t seem very neighborly,” he said. “It’s a big worry for everyone here. Having more 18 wheelers on the road that probably can’t handle them is a safety issue.”
Sound Shore resident Clement Vicari said, “You’re going to have these monster trucks coming up Penny’s Road and Sound Shore Road, and it’s going to have a definite impact on the community and on the property values. Plus, the traffic will be unbelievable in the summer and fall.”
Mr. Vicari, who lives on Sound Shore Road about 1.5 miles from the URT, said that road congestion caused by new oil trucks would also damage the local economy: if the large trucks cause traffic jams while making slow, looping turns, peak-season tourists would be less motivated to frequent North Fork businesses and wineries.
Mr. Catsimatidis said in an interview that expanding the facility could reduce gas prices in Suffolk County by up to 20 cents per gallon. Mr. Vicari wasn’t buying it.
“That is nonsense,” Mr. Vicari said. “He’s doing this strictly for the profit.”
Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said while he has not received any official notice, he is unsurprised to hear that the businessman is still trying to expand his facility.
Mr. Walter told Mr. Catsimatidis at the time that the proposal would have been rejected as it was. Thursday, Mr. Catsimatidis said he will communicate with town officials once he decides on a new strategy.
“When we come up with ideas, we’re willing to sit down with them,” he said.
Mr. Vicari, a retired chemical engineering patent attorney who worked for Union Carbide, submitted a report to the Riverhead Town Board in December on behalf of the civic association.
In his report, Mr. Vicari wrote that Mr. Catsimatidis does not have legal grounds to seek gasoline and ethanol expansions.
He explained that when Northville Industries constructed the facility in 1955, the area was mostly farmland with significantly different zoning regulations. Today, the URT has “non-conforming use” status, which means it can continue to operate in the same manner that was once approved despite subsequent updates to the zoning.
Town code dictates that a “non-conforming use” not permitted in the current code — such as the storage of gasoline — cannot be re-established when it has been discontinued for one year or more. Since gasoline has not been stored at the facility in 13 years, Mr. Vicari believes Mr. Catsimatidis has no legal ground for reviving the practice.
Link: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2015/06/65849/terminal-expansion-plans-resurface-neighbors-still-on-guard/
Mr. Catsimatidis began a push in September to convert two of the Sound Shore Road site’s 20 oil storage tanks to hold gasoline and to build two new 19,000-gallon tanks to store ethanol. However, some community members raised concerns that the expansion would lower property values, create substantial traffic buildup and pose an environmental and safety risk.
In the face of the local opposition and the town board’s reluctance to support the expansion plans, Mr. Catsimatidis, a New York City mayoral candidate in 2013, pulled the plans in late April.
Newsday broke word on Tuesday of the owner’s plans to revive the proposal.
Neil Krupnick, president of the Northville Beach Civic Association — the organization that led the charge against the expansion — said he was unsurprised to learn of the grocery and energy magnate’s latest efforts.
“He’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants,” Mr. Krupnick said. “He’s unhappy about the decision that was going to be made by the board to reject his decision on legal grounds, so now he’s trying to find a way around.”
Mr. Catsimatidis would not reveal specifically what his next steps would be — or even if he would be proposing the same exact plans — but said that he is “open” and exploring a variety of strategies.
“We want what’s fair for everybody,” he said in a Thursday interview. “That’s the way we’ve always handled it.”
Mr. Catsimatidis said complaints about the expansion are unsubstantiated and said he has made some concessions in the meantime, including limiting the speed of his trucks on Sound Shore Road to 20 miles per hour.
“What we’re trying to do is work with the community,” he said. “We are community-minded people. Safety is number one.”
However, opponents remain unconvinced.
Linda Cavallaro, a Queens resident who has owned a second home in Northville since 1990, said on Thursday morning that she was “not happy” to hear the news about the project’s likely revival, and believed the community’s concerns have largely gone ignored by the oil company.
Peter Meyer, another resident, shared similar thoughts on Thursday morning.
“[Mr. Catsimatidis] doesn’t seem very neighborly,” he said. “It’s a big worry for everyone here. Having more 18 wheelers on the road that probably can’t handle them is a safety issue.”
Sound Shore resident Clement Vicari said, “You’re going to have these monster trucks coming up Penny’s Road and Sound Shore Road, and it’s going to have a definite impact on the community and on the property values. Plus, the traffic will be unbelievable in the summer and fall.”
Mr. Vicari, who lives on Sound Shore Road about 1.5 miles from the URT, said that road congestion caused by new oil trucks would also damage the local economy: if the large trucks cause traffic jams while making slow, looping turns, peak-season tourists would be less motivated to frequent North Fork businesses and wineries.
Mr. Catsimatidis said in an interview that expanding the facility could reduce gas prices in Suffolk County by up to 20 cents per gallon. Mr. Vicari wasn’t buying it.
“That is nonsense,” Mr. Vicari said. “He’s doing this strictly for the profit.”
Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said while he has not received any official notice, he is unsurprised to hear that the businessman is still trying to expand his facility.
Mr. Walter told Mr. Catsimatidis at the time that the proposal would have been rejected as it was. Thursday, Mr. Catsimatidis said he will communicate with town officials once he decides on a new strategy.
“When we come up with ideas, we’re willing to sit down with them,” he said.
Mr. Vicari, a retired chemical engineering patent attorney who worked for Union Carbide, submitted a report to the Riverhead Town Board in December on behalf of the civic association.
In his report, Mr. Vicari wrote that Mr. Catsimatidis does not have legal grounds to seek gasoline and ethanol expansions.
He explained that when Northville Industries constructed the facility in 1955, the area was mostly farmland with significantly different zoning regulations. Today, the URT has “non-conforming use” status, which means it can continue to operate in the same manner that was once approved despite subsequent updates to the zoning.
Town code dictates that a “non-conforming use” not permitted in the current code — such as the storage of gasoline — cannot be re-established when it has been discontinued for one year or more. Since gasoline has not been stored at the facility in 13 years, Mr. Vicari believes Mr. Catsimatidis has no legal ground for reviving the practice.
Link: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2015/06/65849/terminal-expansion-plans-resurface-neighbors-still-on-guard/
Billionaire John Catsimatidis again seeks oil terminal in Riverhead
Updated June 16, 2015 8:17 PM
By WILL JAMES will.james@newsday.com
Energy magnate John Catsimatidis said he is reviving a plan to distribute gasoline from his sprawling oil storage facility in Riverhead, two months after he withdrew the idea amid resistance from town officials and neighbors.
Catsimatidis, a Manhattan billionaire in the supermarket, real estate and energy industries, said he is exploring legal options to build two ethanol tanks at the United Riverhead Terminal that would allow him to mix gasoline -- with or without approval from Riverhead officials.
"We're trying to figure out how we can legally do it," Catsimatidis said Saturday during a tour of the 286-acre site in his black Mercedes-Benz. He declined to comment further on possible legal strategies.
Catsimatidis, who in 2013 ran for the Republican nomination for mayor of New York City, said his plan would open a new avenue for gasoline to reach eastern Long Island, potentially lowering prices and preventing fuel shortages like those that paralyzed Long Island after superstorm Sandy in 2012. The United facility, high on the bluffs over Long Island Sound, was unaffected by the storm, company officials said.
But Catsimatidis dropped the gasoline proposal in April after dozens of neighbors in the Riverhead community of Northville lobbied town board members to oppose it.
Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter declined to comment Tuesday, saying he had not spoken to Catsimatidis recently. But representatives of a civic group said they remain opposed to the project.
"I know he's someone who's used to getting what he wants," Neil Krupnick, president of the Northville Beach Civic Association said Tuesday. "But the law is the law."
Northville residents say they don't want gas-filled trucks adding traffic to their rural streets. They said the terminal, grandfathered into a quiet residential area surrounded by farmland, cannot expand its operations without town approval.Catsimatidis bought the field of 20 towering oil tanks in 2012. United officials said it's the largest oil storage facility in New York State and is attached to a Long Island Sound oil and gas shipping platform that is the largest of its kind on the East Coast.
Distributing gasoline would allow United to add three or four employees to the site's staff of about 20 workers, general manager Scott Kamm said.
Gasoline reaches eastern Long Island via barge from New York Harbor to Port Jefferson, where it is then piped underground to a Holtsville terminal, said Kevin Beyer, president of the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association.
Beyer said having another entry point in Riverhead could inject competition into the market and keep fuel flowing in emergencies. "I think having it out here won't be the worst thing," he said.
Gasoline was distributed from the United terminal in 2002. Since then, the facility has mostly stored oil and diesel. It's also a distribution site for home heating oil, though company officials said that business has declined in recent years as many residents switch to natural gas.
Catsimatidis said he wants to build two 19,000-gallon ethanol tanks -- about 20 feet tall by 10 feet wide -- that would be partially obscured in a slope in the earth roughly 20 feet deep. They would stand between two much larger existing tanks that would be modified to hold regular and premium gasoline.
Catsimatidis said he is willing to explore eliminating truck traffic in Northville by building an underground pipeline between the United facility and the former Metro Fuel Oil terminal in Calverton, which he bought in 2013. He said the pipeline would cost $15 million to $20 million and take about 1 1/2 years to construct.
"We're willing to make investments in communities that welcome business," Catsimatidis said.Krupnick said a pipeline could draw even more opposition due to the potential for underground leaks. "Environmentally, that's a bigger disaster than what he's proposing," Krupnick said.
Catsimatidis also said he is willing to landscape the site to obscure existing pipes and other infrastructure. Krupnick said he'd welcome it, but it isn't enough.
"He's convinced himself that the reason we don't want this is because it's ugly," he said. "Yes, it is ugly, but that's not why we don't want it."
Link: http://www.newsday.com/business/john-catsimatidis-again-sets-his-sights-on-oil-terminal-in-riverhead-1.10549659
Dunleavy: Ban trucks on town roads, except local deliveries and pickups
by Denise Civiletti
May 26, 2015, 5:56 pm
After hearing residents’ objections to a plan to impose weight limits on Twomey Avenue last week, Councilman John Dunleavy, chairman of the town board’s traffic safety committee, says he plans to propose a truck route for Riverhead Town that will require trucks to traverse only on state and county roads through the Town of Riverhead, except when making local deliveries or pickups.
Dunleavy had proposed an eight-ton weight limit for Twomey Avenue, which was the subject of a public hearing last Wednesday evening. But residents said adding another road to the list of town roads that are already weight-restricted in Riverhead does not go far enough.
Supervisor Sean Walter said during last week’s hearing he favors doing a traffic analysis to determine what an appropriate truck route would be.
But Dunleavy disagrees. “I don’t think we need to spend a lot of taxpayer money to have a traffic engineer tell us what the best route would be. The trucks should stay on state and county roads,” Dunleavy said. “Those are the roads built to handle that kind of traffic.”
Area residents, particularly those who live in Northville, near the United Riverhead Terminal facility, are urging the town to impose weight limits on all local roads. Northville Beach Civic Association president Neil Krupnick urged a town-wide ban on large truck traffic, which he said is beating up local road surfaces. “Anybody who drives on local roads knows how bad they are,” he said. “Our rural roads are not built to handle this kind of traffic,” Krupnick said, pointing out that local officials, including board members and Highway Superintendent George Woodson, have already acknowledged. Local intersections are not built to accommodate such large vehicles making turns, he said.
Krupnick singled out tanker trucks traveling to and from United Riverhead Terminal on Sound Shore Road.
He presented the board with a picture of a Metro tanker truck turning onto westbound Sound Avenue from Penny’s Road. The tanker is fully in the oncoming lane of traffic in order to negotiate the turn.
After hearing residents’ objections to a plan to impose weight limits on Twomey Avenue last week, Councilman John Dunleavy, chairman of the town board’s traffic safety committee, says he plans to propose a truck route for Riverhead Town that will require trucks to traverse only on state and county roads through the Town of Riverhead, except when making local deliveries or pickups.
Dunleavy had proposed an eight-ton weight limit for Twomey Avenue, which was the subject of a public hearing last Wednesday evening. But residents said adding another road to the list of town roads that are already weight-restricted in Riverhead does not go far enough.
Supervisor Sean Walter said during last week’s hearing he favors doing a traffic analysis to determine what an appropriate truck route would be.
But Dunleavy disagrees. “I don’t think we need to spend a lot of taxpayer money to have a traffic engineer tell us what the best route would be. The trucks should stay on state and county roads,” Dunleavy said. “Those are the roads built to handle that kind of traffic.”
Area residents, particularly those who live in Northville, near the United Riverhead Terminal facility, are urging the town to impose weight limits on all local roads. Northville Beach Civic Association president Neil Krupnick urged a town-wide ban on large truck traffic, which he said is beating up local road surfaces. “Anybody who drives on local roads knows how bad they are,” he said. “Our rural roads are not built to handle this kind of traffic,” Krupnick said, pointing out that local officials, including board members and Highway Superintendent George Woodson, have already acknowledged. Local intersections are not built to accommodate such large vehicles making turns, he said.
Krupnick singled out tanker trucks traveling to and from United Riverhead Terminal on Sound Shore Road.
He presented the board with a picture of a Metro tanker truck turning onto westbound Sound Avenue from Penny’s Road. The tanker is fully in the oncoming lane of traffic in order to negotiate the turn.
“Having trucks like this, filled with thousands of gallons of flammable liquid, travel on our narrow local roads, we’re just one accident away from a tragedy,” Krupnick said. “It’s a giant safety issue and affects the whole town.”
“We can’t restrict the truck traffic on Sound Shore Road,” Dunleavy said. “That’s local delivery.”
“It’s not local delivery,” Krupnick answered. “They are picking up oil to take all over the place. These roads are filled with walkers, jogger and bicyclists.”
“Those tanks have been up there since 1950. You’re trying to put someone out of business,” Dunleavy said.
“No, we’re not,” Krupnick countered. “We used to see mom-and-pop home heating oil trucks going in and out. Now we’re seeing massive 20- and 24-wheelers,” Krupnick said.
John Catsimatidis, owner of United Metro Energy and the founder and chairman of Red Apple Group, the holding company of United Refining Company, Gristedes Foods, Red Apple Supermarkets, and United Riverhead Terminal, spoke at last weeks hearing, threatening to pull the plug on additional projects worth “tens of millions of dollars” that he “had been considering.”
Among the projects that the company was planning, he said, was a pipeline connecting the United Riverhead Terminal facility in Northville with United Metro’s fuel facility in the Calverton Enterprise Park. That would take trucks off the road, he said. Another project that would also reduce truck traffic is to “fully connect” the EPCAL rail spur to his Calverton site.
“My concern is, before I authorize spending tens of millions of dollars aI want to just make sure the town does the right thing by everybody, not just by 12 people complaining about bad scenery,” he said, the remark drawing complaints from residents in the audience.
“We can’t restrict the truck traffic on Sound Shore Road,” Dunleavy said. “That’s local delivery.”
“It’s not local delivery,” Krupnick answered. “They are picking up oil to take all over the place. These roads are filled with walkers, jogger and bicyclists.”
“Those tanks have been up there since 1950. You’re trying to put someone out of business,” Dunleavy said.
“No, we’re not,” Krupnick countered. “We used to see mom-and-pop home heating oil trucks going in and out. Now we’re seeing massive 20- and 24-wheelers,” Krupnick said.
John Catsimatidis, owner of United Metro Energy and the founder and chairman of Red Apple Group, the holding company of United Refining Company, Gristedes Foods, Red Apple Supermarkets, and United Riverhead Terminal, spoke at last weeks hearing, threatening to pull the plug on additional projects worth “tens of millions of dollars” that he “had been considering.”
Among the projects that the company was planning, he said, was a pipeline connecting the United Riverhead Terminal facility in Northville with United Metro’s fuel facility in the Calverton Enterprise Park. That would take trucks off the road, he said. Another project that would also reduce truck traffic is to “fully connect” the EPCAL rail spur to his Calverton site.
“My concern is, before I authorize spending tens of millions of dollars aI want to just make sure the town does the right thing by everybody, not just by 12 people complaining about bad scenery,” he said, the remark drawing complaints from residents in the audience.
“I encourage you to go ahead and complete the trafic study,” Catsimatidis said. “Make sure safety is paramount but don’t unduly restrict truck traffic.”
The URT owner said he favored weight restrictions being put on Twomey Avenue and pledged the cooperation of his company’s drivers.
Dunleavy today said he was unswayed by Catsimatidis’ remarks. “He’s not going to bribe me with the promise of spending tens of millions of dollars in town,” he said.
The councilman said he had never before heard any talk of a proposed Northville-to-Calverton pipeline.
Residents have petitioned the board to adopt town-wide weight limits barring heavy truck traffic on all local roads, except local delivery. Northville Beach resident Mary Yarusso delivered a petition to the board last week with 175 signatures on it, all collected online.
Dunleavy said he will take up the proposed truck route with the traffic safety committee at its next meeting this Thursday morning. If there is consensus, he will bring the suggestion to the town board, he said.
Link: http://www.riverheadlocal.com/2015/05/26/dunleavy-ban-trucks-on-town-roads-except-local-deliveries-and-pickups/
The URT owner said he favored weight restrictions being put on Twomey Avenue and pledged the cooperation of his company’s drivers.
Dunleavy today said he was unswayed by Catsimatidis’ remarks. “He’s not going to bribe me with the promise of spending tens of millions of dollars in town,” he said.
The councilman said he had never before heard any talk of a proposed Northville-to-Calverton pipeline.
Residents have petitioned the board to adopt town-wide weight limits barring heavy truck traffic on all local roads, except local delivery. Northville Beach resident Mary Yarusso delivered a petition to the board last week with 175 signatures on it, all collected online.
Dunleavy said he will take up the proposed truck route with the traffic safety committee at its next meeting this Thursday morning. If there is consensus, he will bring the suggestion to the town board, he said.
Link: http://www.riverheadlocal.com/2015/05/26/dunleavy-ban-trucks-on-town-roads-except-local-deliveries-and-pickups/
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Update: United RIverhead Terminal, after a lot of back and forth, has given us our sign back. We now are applying for a permit to place it at a new location. The owners of Garden of Eve have agreed to allow our sign to be placed on their property along Penny's Road.
The dispute between Northville’s community association and the local oil terminal over its proposed expansion plans has spilled over into a strange new battleground: a tiny plot of land on the side of Sound Shore Road containing a wooden sign.
Both sides claim ownership of the sign, saying the other appropriated it to post their own “spin” on the expansion project. The roughly three-foot-by-six-foot sign — located next to United Riverhead Terminal’s headquarters — had been used for more than 20 years by the Northville Beach Community Association, even featuring its name painted on the sign. But on Monday the sign was gone. By Tuesday, the sign was back, but the community association’s name was gone. In its place was a new message from the terminal, touting the company’s tax contributions and job creation. “It’s small potatoes but this aggravates me,” said Dave Gruner, a member of the community association who had been in charge of changing the messages on the sign for years. “The way I look at it, they have stolen our sign.” But URT general manager Scott Kamm said the sign was always owned by the terminal, which he said allowed the community association to post its messages. According to the Riverhead Town building department, a permit was issued in 1972 for a sign on the north side of Sound Shore Road, which was submitted by “Northville Industries Corp. Riverhead Terminal.” However, no sign permit exists for the property to the south where the disputed sign is now, a town employee said. It was unclear whether the original sign permit to the north was for this sign or another unrelated one. Mr. Kamm said he had the sign changed because he objected to messages written on it directing residents to the community association’s website, which calls the expansion “unnecessary.” URT needs a special permit to construct the expansion, which it says would add six new jobs and support local families and businesses. But neighbors, led by the civic association, have come out in force against the project. In two public hearings each lasting hours, residents railed against the project. The Riverhead Town Board hasn’t made an official determination on the special permit yet, but several board members said last month they were convinced by public opinion to deny the project. On Wednesday, Mr. Kamm claimed the civic association — which was formed 50 years ago specifically to oppose the construction of the original terminal — put messages on the board urging residents to oppose the proposed expansion. That’s why the sign was taken down and replaced with a more corporate-friendly version, he said. “We’re trying to put a positive message out to the community,” Mr. Kamm said. “A positive spin.” But civic association president Neil Krupnick denied the claim that the community association posted negative messages, and also said the terminal doesn’t own the sign in the first place. Mr. Krupnick said the sign was handed over to the civic association as a “good neighbor” gesture in 1993 by then-owners Tosco. It was maintained by the terminals owners since and was even repainted by United years ago. “They had two options: ask us to change our message or tell us to pick up the sign,” Mr. Krupnick said. “They did the third option and took it … It’s rude. It’s petty. It’s childish.” Mr. Krupnick said the sign now gives the appearance that the civic association has changed its position on the project. “Anybody who doesn’t know they took over the sign might think, ‘Did NBCA sell out to United?’ ” he said. Minutes from a civic association meeting state that the sign — formerly used by the terminal — was given as a gift. Mr. Kamm says those meeting minutes are inaccurate; the sign was always owned by the terminal, he said. “It’s on United property,” he said. “Always have been. We’ve always maintained it. We’ve always painted it.” Both Mr. Kamm and Mr. Krupnick say their organizations are willing to talk to the other’s. So far, neither has gotten through. “We’ve always had a great relationship,” Mr. Kamm said. “Unfortunately the new president has turned things around over this new gasoline project.” “They’ve not reached out to us at all,” Mr. Krupnick said. |
The sign as it appeared before this week. An inset shows the minutes from the meeting in which community members say the sign was handed over to them.
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Newsday Online Link: Plan to store gasoline at oil terminal riles East End residents, officials
RECAP: Board appears likely to reject terminal expansion plan
The Riverhead Town Board appears poised to reject United Riverhead Terminals proposed expansion at its Sound Shore Road fuel tank farm followed a nearly four-hour public hearing in which every speaker other than the applicant was opposed to the plan.
“You guys and girls changed my vote and I’m going to vote to deny this permit,” Councilman John Dunleavy told the standing-room only audience following the hearing, a move that got him around of applause.
“Three cheers for John. Hip hip hooray!” someone yelled from the audience.
“I think there is a consensus building on this board that is aligned with Councilman Dunleavy,” Supervisor Sean Walter told URT spokesman Vic Prusinowski. “You guys have a pretty uphill battle.”
“It comes down to who I represent,” Councilman Jim Wooten said after the meeting. “I think the public has been pretty clear. They made a very good argument.”
“After a presentation like that, I don’t know how anyone can support it,” Councilman George Gabrielsen said.
“I want to get all the answers first before I make a decision,” Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said, although she appeared to agree with Mr. Gabrielsen’s comments.
The Town Board is holding the hearing open for written comments until April 30 to allow URT to answer questions and comments made at the hearing.
URT is proposing to change two of the 20 oil storage tanks on the 286-acre Sound Shore Road property from fuel oil storage to gasoline storage, and to build two new 19,000 gallon tanks to store ethanol, which is blended with the gasoline. The two tanks proposed for gasoline storage are 2.8 million and 3.6 million gallons.
Mr. Walter said URT already has state approval to store gasoline and ethanol, but requires the special permit from the town to build the two new tanks.
Asked after the meeting what URT would do if the application is rejected, Mr. Prusinowski said that hasn’t really been discussed. He said they may be able to use an existing tank to store ethanol, or they may have the ethanol blended with the gasoline at another site.
Neighbors who spoke against the plan said the gasoline storage use constitutes a new use and since the property is zoned for residential uses, and the tank farm is allowed to stay because it pre-dates town zoning, the new use should not be allowed.
Chris Kent, an attorney representing the Northville Beach Civic Association, said the application should not be before the Town Board, but rather, should be before the zoning board of appeals since it seeks to allow a use not permitted by zoning.
Other speakers said the change to gasoline storage would result in an increase in large oil tanker trucks coming to and from the faciilty, and that the gasoline is far more flammable than fuel oil.
Scott Kamm, URT’s general manager, said the proposal would only result in an increase of 12 trucks per day. He said the number of trucks coming from the facility has dropped nearly 50 percent since 2009, although it increased from 2013 to 2014. He said the demand for fuel oil has been declining in recent years.
Angela DeVito, the president of the Jamesport-South Jamesport Civic Association, said that the decrease in demand for fuel oil will likely lead URT to convert other tanks to gasoline storage in the future.
Other speakers said the applicants should be required to do an environmental impact study on the proposal.
Mr. Walter said the town may require a limited environment study, and it may also seek to put weight limits on town roads like Twomey Avenue in Calverton, where large oil tankers have been using to get to and from URT.
The Riverhead Town Board appears poised to reject United Riverhead Terminals proposed expansion at its Sound Shore Road fuel tank farm followed a nearly four-hour public hearing in which every speaker other than the applicant was opposed to the plan.
“You guys and girls changed my vote and I’m going to vote to deny this permit,” Councilman John Dunleavy told the standing-room only audience following the hearing, a move that got him around of applause.
“Three cheers for John. Hip hip hooray!” someone yelled from the audience.
“I think there is a consensus building on this board that is aligned with Councilman Dunleavy,” Supervisor Sean Walter told URT spokesman Vic Prusinowski. “You guys have a pretty uphill battle.”
“It comes down to who I represent,” Councilman Jim Wooten said after the meeting. “I think the public has been pretty clear. They made a very good argument.”
“After a presentation like that, I don’t know how anyone can support it,” Councilman George Gabrielsen said.
“I want to get all the answers first before I make a decision,” Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said, although she appeared to agree with Mr. Gabrielsen’s comments.
The Town Board is holding the hearing open for written comments until April 30 to allow URT to answer questions and comments made at the hearing.
URT is proposing to change two of the 20 oil storage tanks on the 286-acre Sound Shore Road property from fuel oil storage to gasoline storage, and to build two new 19,000 gallon tanks to store ethanol, which is blended with the gasoline. The two tanks proposed for gasoline storage are 2.8 million and 3.6 million gallons.
Mr. Walter said URT already has state approval to store gasoline and ethanol, but requires the special permit from the town to build the two new tanks.
Asked after the meeting what URT would do if the application is rejected, Mr. Prusinowski said that hasn’t really been discussed. He said they may be able to use an existing tank to store ethanol, or they may have the ethanol blended with the gasoline at another site.
Neighbors who spoke against the plan said the gasoline storage use constitutes a new use and since the property is zoned for residential uses, and the tank farm is allowed to stay because it pre-dates town zoning, the new use should not be allowed.
Chris Kent, an attorney representing the Northville Beach Civic Association, said the application should not be before the Town Board, but rather, should be before the zoning board of appeals since it seeks to allow a use not permitted by zoning.
Other speakers said the change to gasoline storage would result in an increase in large oil tanker trucks coming to and from the faciilty, and that the gasoline is far more flammable than fuel oil.
Scott Kamm, URT’s general manager, said the proposal would only result in an increase of 12 trucks per day. He said the number of trucks coming from the facility has dropped nearly 50 percent since 2009, although it increased from 2013 to 2014. He said the demand for fuel oil has been declining in recent years.
Angela DeVito, the president of the Jamesport-South Jamesport Civic Association, said that the decrease in demand for fuel oil will likely lead URT to convert other tanks to gasoline storage in the future.
Other speakers said the applicants should be required to do an environmental impact study on the proposal.
Mr. Walter said the town may require a limited environment study, and it may also seek to put weight limits on town roads like Twomey Avenue in Calverton, where large oil tankers have been using to get to and from URT.
The following story was reported almost a year prior to United Riverhead Terminal's application to the Riverhead Town Board for an expansion of a NONCONFORMING USE. In the cover letter to the board, United's general manager wrote that "The project was initiated after the response we received from government officials during Super Storm Sandy who were looking to resolve the gas shortage problem we had on Long Island."
As you can see from the story below, the state reached out to a number of potential storage facilities as part of a "competitive solicitation." United lost out on the competition yet it continues to act as if the proposed expansion is about emergency gas storage when in fact it is about becoming a 24/7 Gasoline Distribution Center located right in the middle of a residential and rural neighborhood.
NY State Launches Strategic Gasoline Reserve
By ENERGY SOLUTIONS FORUM
on October 31, 2013 at 4:30 PM
NY State’s Strategic Gasoline Reserve will hold three million gallons of fuel to prevent emergency supply gaps.
On October 26, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched the first U.S. state-based Strategic Gasoline Reserve as part of the Fuel NY initiative to prevent potential supply gaps during weather events and emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy. The $10 million reserve, expected to hold approximately three million gallons of fuel, will serve as a supplement to market deliveries to maintain adequate fuel levels during emergency recovery. It will use the storage capacity of Northville Industries on Long Island, with a provision to deliver fuel to other parts of the state as needed. The selection of Northville involved a competitive solicitation and is subject to contract approval.
Editor's Note: In addition to the 3 million gallons being stored at Northville Industries in Holtsville, the Federal Government is also storing an additional 500,000 barrels in New York Harbor.
As you can see from the story below, the state reached out to a number of potential storage facilities as part of a "competitive solicitation." United lost out on the competition yet it continues to act as if the proposed expansion is about emergency gas storage when in fact it is about becoming a 24/7 Gasoline Distribution Center located right in the middle of a residential and rural neighborhood.
NY State Launches Strategic Gasoline Reserve
By ENERGY SOLUTIONS FORUM
on October 31, 2013 at 4:30 PM
NY State’s Strategic Gasoline Reserve will hold three million gallons of fuel to prevent emergency supply gaps.
On October 26, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched the first U.S. state-based Strategic Gasoline Reserve as part of the Fuel NY initiative to prevent potential supply gaps during weather events and emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy. The $10 million reserve, expected to hold approximately three million gallons of fuel, will serve as a supplement to market deliveries to maintain adequate fuel levels during emergency recovery. It will use the storage capacity of Northville Industries on Long Island, with a provision to deliver fuel to other parts of the state as needed. The selection of Northville involved a competitive solicitation and is subject to contract approval.
Editor's Note: In addition to the 3 million gallons being stored at Northville Industries in Holtsville, the Federal Government is also storing an additional 500,000 barrels in New York Harbor.
RiverheadLOCAL:
Plans for gasoline storage, distribution in Northville spark controversy
Northville residents turned out in force last night to speak out against a proposed expansion of United Riverhead Terminal’s facilities on Sound Shore Road. Last night’s lengthy public hearing was adjourned to Dec. 16 at 7:05 p.m.
(snip)
An attorney hired by Northville Beach Civic Association questioned the adequacy of the town’s review of the application under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. John Armentano of the law firm of Farrell Fritz in Hauppauge questioned why the town allowed the applicant to complete a short-form environmental assessment form rather than the more detailed long-form EAF, so that it could elicit more information about traffic and other possible impacts from the expansion. Armentano asked the board to continue the hearing to a later date to allow the community more time to analyze the proposal as well as the traffic impact report submitted by the applicant.
Jen Hartnagel, of Group for the East End questioned the SEQRA process and, referring to town board resolution 684, unanimously adopted Oct. 7, asked the board if it had already issued a negative declaration for the project. Under SEQRA, a negative declaration finds that a proposal will not have significant environmental impacts and dispenses with the need to prepare an environmental impact statement. A positive declaration means the project may have significant environmental impacts and an environmental impact statement must be prepared.
In response to Hartnagel’s question, the supervisor said no negative declaration had been issued.
“No. That wouldn’t be done at this stage,” Walter answered. “We haven’t made that determination yet. We’re gathering the information now.”
Resolution 684 states “that the Riverhead Town Board hereby declares itself to be the lead agency for the special permit application of United Riverhead Terminal New York which it classifies as an Unlisted action for the purposes of SEQR compliance and further declares the action to be without significant impact on the natural or social environmental and that an Environmental Impact Statement need not be prepared..”
“If it hasn’t been done, that’s great, because we would ask that an environmental impact statement be prepared. Clearly there are a lot of impacts to the community,” Hartnagel said. She also said the re-introduction of gasoline distribution there, after more than 14 years, should be considered a new use, not an expansion of a pre-existing non-conforming use.”
Not our ‘manifest destiny’ to be the county’s gas station
Northville residents expressed concerns about the volume and kind of truck traffic that will result from the proposed expansion — as well as the possibility of future expansion.
John Cullen, former Northville Beach Civic Association president, said the trucks filling up with heating oil are “small neighborhood home delivery trucks” not the 18-wheelers that will be filling up with gasoline for delivery to gas stations.
“The terminal is open 24/7,” Cullen said. “Will gas trucks be coming in and out at all hours of the night?”
Cullen also questioned how the gasoline tanker traffic might expand over time. With the decline in home heating oil sales, will more of the tanks at Northville be converted to gasoline storage in the future, resulting in an increased gasoline distribution business there — and increased tanker truck traffic, he asked.
Eve Kaplan of Northville said when the Northville Industries facility was first built “Riverhead was viewed the future armpit of NYC. There was going to be a nuclear plant here, there was sand mining here on a very large scale and there was a tank facility put in.” She said residents did not allow development to go in that direction “and now we live in a nice town, a rural and residential town, not an industrial town.”
Kaplan, a former employee of the North Fork Environmental Council and current owner of the Garden of Eve organic farm in Northville, faulted the traffic report presented by the applicant’s engineering firm as incomplete.
“What was presented here today was not a traffic study,” Kaplan said. “A traffic study would talk about the baseline traffic during the day, at different hours and on different days of the week.
“What is the calculation of 12 trucks per day based on?” Kaplan asked. “How might that increase? As was just acknowledged, they’re not running at capacity there. Demand for fuel oil storage is down and they’re looking for additional revenue sources,” she said.
“Just remember it’s no one’s manifest destiny to be the gas station for Suffolk County.”
Civic president questions town ‘fast-tracking’ application
Northville Beach Civic Association president Neil Krupnick criticized the answers provided by URT in its short-form environmental assessment form.
He read a question from the EAF: “Does any portion of the site of the proposed action or lands adjoining the proposed action contain wetlands or other water bodies regulated by a federal, state or local agency? Guess what they checked? They checked no,” Krupnick said. With the site encompassing waterfront land and an offshore platform on the L.I. Sound, a federally designated estuary of national significance, how could they answer “no” to that question, Krupnick asked.
The civic president also worried that the town was “fast-tracking the application.”
“I don’t think we’re asking for much,” Krupnick said. “We just want to keep our community safe and clean.”
After consulting with the town attorney in a brief executive session to obtain counsel on proper procedure, the board adjourned the meeting to Dec. 16, an evening meeting at which the continued URT hearing would be the first order of business.
The board will also discuss the application further in upcoming work session meetings, Walter promised.
Plans for gasoline storage, distribution in Northville spark controversy
Northville residents turned out in force last night to speak out against a proposed expansion of United Riverhead Terminal’s facilities on Sound Shore Road. Last night’s lengthy public hearing was adjourned to Dec. 16 at 7:05 p.m.
(snip)
An attorney hired by Northville Beach Civic Association questioned the adequacy of the town’s review of the application under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. John Armentano of the law firm of Farrell Fritz in Hauppauge questioned why the town allowed the applicant to complete a short-form environmental assessment form rather than the more detailed long-form EAF, so that it could elicit more information about traffic and other possible impacts from the expansion. Armentano asked the board to continue the hearing to a later date to allow the community more time to analyze the proposal as well as the traffic impact report submitted by the applicant.
Jen Hartnagel, of Group for the East End questioned the SEQRA process and, referring to town board resolution 684, unanimously adopted Oct. 7, asked the board if it had already issued a negative declaration for the project. Under SEQRA, a negative declaration finds that a proposal will not have significant environmental impacts and dispenses with the need to prepare an environmental impact statement. A positive declaration means the project may have significant environmental impacts and an environmental impact statement must be prepared.
In response to Hartnagel’s question, the supervisor said no negative declaration had been issued.
“No. That wouldn’t be done at this stage,” Walter answered. “We haven’t made that determination yet. We’re gathering the information now.”
Resolution 684 states “that the Riverhead Town Board hereby declares itself to be the lead agency for the special permit application of United Riverhead Terminal New York which it classifies as an Unlisted action for the purposes of SEQR compliance and further declares the action to be without significant impact on the natural or social environmental and that an Environmental Impact Statement need not be prepared..”
“If it hasn’t been done, that’s great, because we would ask that an environmental impact statement be prepared. Clearly there are a lot of impacts to the community,” Hartnagel said. She also said the re-introduction of gasoline distribution there, after more than 14 years, should be considered a new use, not an expansion of a pre-existing non-conforming use.”
Not our ‘manifest destiny’ to be the county’s gas station
Northville residents expressed concerns about the volume and kind of truck traffic that will result from the proposed expansion — as well as the possibility of future expansion.
John Cullen, former Northville Beach Civic Association president, said the trucks filling up with heating oil are “small neighborhood home delivery trucks” not the 18-wheelers that will be filling up with gasoline for delivery to gas stations.
“The terminal is open 24/7,” Cullen said. “Will gas trucks be coming in and out at all hours of the night?”
Cullen also questioned how the gasoline tanker traffic might expand over time. With the decline in home heating oil sales, will more of the tanks at Northville be converted to gasoline storage in the future, resulting in an increased gasoline distribution business there — and increased tanker truck traffic, he asked.
Eve Kaplan of Northville said when the Northville Industries facility was first built “Riverhead was viewed the future armpit of NYC. There was going to be a nuclear plant here, there was sand mining here on a very large scale and there was a tank facility put in.” She said residents did not allow development to go in that direction “and now we live in a nice town, a rural and residential town, not an industrial town.”
Kaplan, a former employee of the North Fork Environmental Council and current owner of the Garden of Eve organic farm in Northville, faulted the traffic report presented by the applicant’s engineering firm as incomplete.
“What was presented here today was not a traffic study,” Kaplan said. “A traffic study would talk about the baseline traffic during the day, at different hours and on different days of the week.
“What is the calculation of 12 trucks per day based on?” Kaplan asked. “How might that increase? As was just acknowledged, they’re not running at capacity there. Demand for fuel oil storage is down and they’re looking for additional revenue sources,” she said.
“Just remember it’s no one’s manifest destiny to be the gas station for Suffolk County.”
Civic president questions town ‘fast-tracking’ application
Northville Beach Civic Association president Neil Krupnick criticized the answers provided by URT in its short-form environmental assessment form.
He read a question from the EAF: “Does any portion of the site of the proposed action or lands adjoining the proposed action contain wetlands or other water bodies regulated by a federal, state or local agency? Guess what they checked? They checked no,” Krupnick said. With the site encompassing waterfront land and an offshore platform on the L.I. Sound, a federally designated estuary of national significance, how could they answer “no” to that question, Krupnick asked.
The civic president also worried that the town was “fast-tracking the application.”
“I don’t think we’re asking for much,” Krupnick said. “We just want to keep our community safe and clean.”
After consulting with the town attorney in a brief executive session to obtain counsel on proper procedure, the board adjourned the meeting to Dec. 16, an evening meeting at which the continued URT hearing would be the first order of business.
The board will also discuss the application further in upcoming work session meetings, Walter promised.
Recap: Special Permit - United Riverhead Terminal New York
Northville residents came out in force to oppose United Riverhead Terminal’s special permit application to convert two of its oil tanks on its Northville property to gasoline storage at a public hearing before the Riverhead Town Board Tuesday night. The board held the hearing open until Dec. 16 and promised to discuss the issue further at a work session.
For a full recap, click here: Riverhead News-Review Live Blog
Northville residents came out in force to oppose United Riverhead Terminal’s special permit application to convert two of its oil tanks on its Northville property to gasoline storage at a public hearing before the Riverhead Town Board Tuesday night. The board held the hearing open until Dec. 16 and promised to discuss the issue further at a work session.
For a full recap, click here: Riverhead News-Review Live Blog
From the Oct. 9th Edition of The Riverhead News-Review:
Converted, new Northville tanks to hold 4.8M gallons of gas
by Tim Gannon |
09/29/2014 12:00 PM
Remember the gasoline shortage that followed Hurricane Sandy? Things like that could be less likely to happen after future storms, given a proposal to store more than 4.8 million gallons of gas in Northville holding tanks that now contain oil.
The plan for the 287-acre United Riverhead Terminals property on Sound Shore Road will be subject to a public hearing before the Riverhead Town Board. A hearing date of Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. has been formally approved (as of 10.7.14).
“The project was initiated after the response we received from government officials during Superstorm Sandy,” said Scott Kamm, general manager of United Riverhead Terminals.
When Long Island was crippled by a gasoline shortage during the power outage cause by Sandy, officials asked if URT had gasoline storage capability. But at the time, it stored only petroleum, Mr. Kamm said.
The company, which acquired the former Northville Industries property in 2012, now plans to convert two existing tanks to store gasoline. It also wants to build two additional 19,000-gallon tanks for blending 10 percent ethanol into the gasoline. There are currently 20 storage tanks at the facility.
The two tanks to be converted are on the north side of Sound Shore Road. One tank, with a capacity of 87,000 barrels of oil, will hold 2.7 million gallons of regular gasoline; the other, which can hold 67,000 barrels, will contain 2.1 million gallons of premium gasoline, according to URT. (One barrel equates to 31.5 gallons.) The project already has state Department of Environmental Conservation approval, according to Mr. Kamm.
The proposal doesn’t technically require a special permit, since it isn’t a 10 percent expansion, according to town environmental engineer Joe Hall. However, Town Board members decided to hold the hearing anyway, because Northville residents had inquired about the project.
Supervisor Sean Walter also suggested that URT do a traffic analysis for the intersection of Sound Avenue, Pennys Road and Northville Turnpike.
by Tim Gannon |
09/29/2014 12:00 PM
Remember the gasoline shortage that followed Hurricane Sandy? Things like that could be less likely to happen after future storms, given a proposal to store more than 4.8 million gallons of gas in Northville holding tanks that now contain oil.
The plan for the 287-acre United Riverhead Terminals property on Sound Shore Road will be subject to a public hearing before the Riverhead Town Board. A hearing date of Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. has been formally approved (as of 10.7.14).
“The project was initiated after the response we received from government officials during Superstorm Sandy,” said Scott Kamm, general manager of United Riverhead Terminals.
When Long Island was crippled by a gasoline shortage during the power outage cause by Sandy, officials asked if URT had gasoline storage capability. But at the time, it stored only petroleum, Mr. Kamm said.
The company, which acquired the former Northville Industries property in 2012, now plans to convert two existing tanks to store gasoline. It also wants to build two additional 19,000-gallon tanks for blending 10 percent ethanol into the gasoline. There are currently 20 storage tanks at the facility.
The two tanks to be converted are on the north side of Sound Shore Road. One tank, with a capacity of 87,000 barrels of oil, will hold 2.7 million gallons of regular gasoline; the other, which can hold 67,000 barrels, will contain 2.1 million gallons of premium gasoline, according to URT. (One barrel equates to 31.5 gallons.) The project already has state Department of Environmental Conservation approval, according to Mr. Kamm.
The proposal doesn’t technically require a special permit, since it isn’t a 10 percent expansion, according to town environmental engineer Joe Hall. However, Town Board members decided to hold the hearing anyway, because Northville residents had inquired about the project.
Supervisor Sean Walter also suggested that URT do a traffic analysis for the intersection of Sound Avenue, Pennys Road and Northville Turnpike.
