Text size:

Dix Hills neighbors learn details of LIPA project

BY DEBORAH S. MORRIS | deborah.morris@newsday.com

5:52 PM EDT, March 28, 2008

Abbey Schwartz said he is troubled that the Long Island Power Authority has the ability to reactivate a substation in his Dix Hills neighborhood without going through the permit and variance procedures in place for other businesses, simply because it holds special status with the state.

Schwartz was among three dozen residents who came to the Half Hollow Hills Community Library Thursday night to hear from a neighbor who had met with LIPA officials about the defunct site on Bagatelle Road.

"You don't understand why they don't answer to anybody, why they can get the variances they want just because they want it," Schwartz said. "And why in a residential neighborhood? They can certainly find places that are more industrial but they don't need to. It's disheartening."

Residents were told at the meeting, and LIPA officials later confirmed, the substation is, in part, being reactivated because power is needed for the proposed Tanger Mall in Deer Park in Babylon town. Although residents in Dix Hills live in the town of Huntington, some get their electricity from a substation in Babylon. Now that the mall is to be built, Babylon town needs its power back.

"The need for this new substation is based on feeding local load, not the Tanger Mall," said LIPA spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler.

Flagler said construction of the new Bagatelle substation began on March 20. No new transmission lines need to be built. The substation was decommissioned in 1977 as a cost-cutting measure because, at the time, other substations in the area could pick up the load. Transmission lines in the area also were being upgraded and the new transmission would no longer be able to feed the outdated substation.

Thursday's meeting was organized by Debra Giaime, a Dix Hills resident who collected more than 400 signatures from Dix Hills, Melville and Wheatley Heights opposing the substation. She met with LIPA officials on March 14 and was mostly satisfied with the outcome, if only because they had no other recourse.

At that meeting, LIPA officials pledged $250,000 to the town to address drainage problems along Bagatelle Road, explained that a driveway in question would only be for use during an emergency and at that time would be regulated by a traffic monitor.

She said utility officials said they welcome residents input in some areas, but made it clear the substation will be put back into service.

"So now we have to stay in touch with LIPA as far as safety hazards during the construction process and after it is completed," Giaime said, "and make sure they continue to respond to the communities concerns."

Judy Roth, who lives about a half mile from the substation, said that may be too late.

"My taxes are very high and my property values are going down because of this," said the 20-year resident. "It's an outrage that we have no say in this. It's a done deal."