How 100 years of the Democratic rule has shaped the city of Albany
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Albany County Democratic boss Dan O Connell, undated. (Bernie Kolenberg, Times Union archives/Courtesy William Kennedy)
ALBANY One can argue whether the Albany Democratic machine was good or evil or how much of it remains today, but this much is indisputable: It has etched itself into American political history as one for the ages.
It has been 100 years since the O’Connell-Corning Democratic machine seized control of City Hall in 1921 by defeating the entrenched Barnes Republican machine. The Democrats have not relinquished power since.
Albany ranks first as the longest run of uninterrupted Democratic rule, longer than Boston (since 1930), Chicago (1931), St. Louis (1949), Philadelphia (1951), Buffalo (1962) or any other deep-blue city in the nation.
The bill sat on Governor Andrew Cuomo's desk for a month and he made no decision. This is called a "pocket veto." It also means the bill cannot be overruled by the legislative branch.
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Earlier this month, National Grid submitted a petition with the New York Public Service Commission for its 2 MW/3.8 MWh Pulaski, New York, battery storage system to dispatch power and participate in the wholesale market.
The company said in its petition that approval of both activities would allow it to learn how future, larger storage systems will operate in the wholesale market and dispatch processes. It would like to have dispatch services up and running for the Pulaski center by the end of 2022.
This National Grid request has the attention of private companies eager to be the ones to provide battery storage for the state.
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The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday approved a 93-mile, $854 million transmission project that includes a new line planned to run from Oneida County to Albany County. The 345-kV transmission line will help the state meet renewable energy goals set by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
LS Power Grid New York and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will jointly develop the transmission line, the Marcy to New Scotland Upgrade Project, which also includes new and upgraded substations and the replacement of older transmission towers.
Staff of the New York Department of Public Service on Tuesday published a long-awaited power grid study, outlining work needed for the state to meet CLCPA goals. The Marcy to New Scotland project was among those the study assumed would be completed.
Pictured Above: Ørsted‘s Anholt offshore wind farm under construction in Denmark.
Agreements for the South Fork Wind Farm cable landing and burial project from Beach Lane in Wainscott to an East Hampton LIPA substation, and for $28.9 in benefits to be paid by the developers to the community, were approved by the East Hampton Town Board on Thursday.
Four out of five Town Council members voted in favor of the agreements, while board member Jeffrey Bragman voted against the Easement Agreement and abstained from the vote on the Host Community Agreement, saying he would have preferred if the town deferred the vote until after the New York Public Service Commission issues a decision on the project.