Seneca (rumor)greenridge power plant got approved

[Roys Boys]

I’ve just heard from 2 people they just got approved to run full time without dec permits.. anyone else hear about it getting approved?

[Hop]

I have not heard that..yet. another fox guarding the hen house?!

[Roys Boys]

https://senecalakeguardian.org/Greenidge-Bitcoin-Mining

Edited March 23, 2021 by Roys Boys

[Hop]

I don't know, just a big concern. I just wish the DEC would require them (and it appears they have the power to do so, so why don't they??) Install screens which will prevent crustaceans, eggs, and fish from being sucked into the intake pumps and ground sauce. DEC PLEASE RESPOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Roys Boys]

The guy I talked to says dec doesn’t consider the keuka outlet from the trestle to the lake a trout stream thats why they’re  getting away with all this discharge permits..  he sent me this link and said see page 28 of 38.. 

 

https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/tsmpreachcat.pdf

[CHINOOKY]

Was it not converted to natural gas?  

[sawbelliesam]

Is there something we can do collectively as LOU members as a form of protest?  Perhaps a petition that could be signed on this site?  Just a thought. This is maddening. 

[RickKG]

This is a useful link to facts about the proposed Bitcoin project at Greenridge.

https://senecalakeguardian.org/Facts-Matter-Greenidge-Bitcoin-Mining

 

It looks like the Seneca Lake Guardian is spearheading a lot of the efforts to protect the Finger Lakes region (they are fighting against a harmful project in Cayuga County also).

 

You can contact them at [email protected]

 

Let us know how you/ they think we could help!

 

Thanks,

Rick

[Roys Boys]

2 hours ago, CHINOOKY said:

Was it not converted to natural gas?  

It is natural gas but if they burned it more efficient instead of burning it with a 70-year-old turbine that burns 35% I don’t get why they don’t go out west with all the other major bitcoin miners this company’s going to come in and use our resources for it?

[Hop]

Thank you for posting Rick KG. Scary stuff. 

[CHINOOKY]

i was just interested as i work at a natural gas plant here in PA.  Prior to this i was involved in two other coal plant conversions to natural gas,  Typically its relatively clean with all the exhaust monitoring and scrubbing that goes along with the conversions especially when compared to coal.  Not wanting a political war was just curious if it was the air pollution, cooling water, runoff, or another factor/prior violations that cause the concerns and hurts the fishing  Just trying to learn.  I'm somewhat new to fishing the finger lakes but have been in natural gas power generation for 10 years now. Typically your trying to get as much heat output out of natural gas as possible for either running your turbine or feeding a boiler or HRSG for in combined cycle within the confines of exhaust monitoring and sampling. Dumping natural gas to atmosphere is waste of money.  I need to read up on the whole bitcoin miner issue.  As far as resources go New York said no to natural gas drilling the last i heard. New York does some surface wells but a majority of New York's natural gas comes from the marcellus shale region of PA via pipelines. Just an FYI!

[cinnamon fish]

From what I understand, the bitcoin operations want to discharge hot water into the stream, basically killing everything in the stream and that then flows into the lake.  I've seen efforts from the Seneca Lake Guardians trying to stop them, but it's not looking good so far.  This is awful!

[CHINOOKY]

Typically there is a return temp limit for discharging into streams and rivers. Do they not follow this protocol? That is terrible and sounds like a serious violation. I'm not advocating for this plant this nor trying to be a troll.  There is just so much disinformation when it comes to power generation you have to be careful. In my town they blame my plant for hurting the fishing for using the river for cooling water when we are air cooled condensers and use no water from the river.

[Frogger]

I’m not sure what the temp difference is from when it was in operation with coal in the 80’s and 90’s but I will tell you it was a fisherman’s paradise both in the stream and the mouth into the lake during fall,winter,spring. The days when there were 100’s of boats fishing off the mouth was an insane sight.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[CHINOOKY]

I saw the same thing in Columbia for sturgeon off the nukes and in Tampa bay for the cobia in the winter.  That many boats in the 80s-90s would be quadrupled in todays numbers. yikes.

[cinnamon fish]

This is what the Seneca Lake Guardian posted back in January...
Greenidge is an inefficient gas-fired powered plant on the west side of Seneca Lake that wants to expand its energy generation NOT for public use, but for their own private Bitcoin operation. They want to withdraw nearly 160 millions of gallons of lake water each day, and return it to a trout stream that feeds back into the lake. Discharge temperatures could be as hot as 108 degrees Fahrenheit. That's hotter than most hot tubs, and would be uncomfortable for humans, let alone trout, who prefer water from 40 to 52 degrees F.

[Roys Boys]

38 minutes ago, CHINOOKY said:

i was just interested as i work at a natural gas plant here in PA.  Prior to this i was involved in two other coal plant conversions to natural gas,  Typically its relatively clean with all the exhaust monitoring and scrubbing that goes along with the conversions especially when compared to coal.  Not wanting a political war was just curious if it was the air pollution, cooling water, runoff, or another factor/prior violations that cause the concerns and hurts the fishing  Just trying to learn.  I'm somewhat new to fishing the finger lakes but have been in natural gas power generation for 10 years now. Typically your trying to get as much heat output out of natural gas as possible for either running your turbine or feeding a boiler or HRSG for in combined cycle within the confines of exhaust monitoring and sampling. Dumping natural gas to atmosphere is waste of money.  I need to read up on the whole bitcoin miner issue.  As far as resources go New York said no to natural gas drilling the last i heard. New York does some surface wells but a majority of New York's natural gas comes from the marcellus shale region of PA via pipelines. Just an FYI!

My biggest concern is algae blooms in Dresden.. last thing I want is tourists to find out theirs harmful algae blooms on Seneca lake

[Ray4852]

This state will never approve fracking. we allow gas drilling here but its very limited. I live 2 miles from two natural gas wells. there very clean and we have no problem with our ground water. I wouldn't worry about the fingers lakes region starting natural gas drilling. there economy is built around the beauty of their lakes and drawing people to the area. more money to be made with tourism. PA is a much different state compared to NY. PA is an oil state. NY is not. we care more about clean water and clean air. thats why PA fisherman come here to camp and fish. we have cleaner water and streams. I favor limited fracking but only in remote areas away from people because they have to depend on their ground water to survive. I have wind mills in my area also. they collect a lot of energy but we don't see the benefits here. the energy is sent down state. some people are trying to promote solar here but that will never work here because we hardly get any sun.  I think the best way to go is coal burning power plants because its very clean with the pollution equipment installed. forget about going green. somebody is having a wet dream on the far left. 

[cinnamon fish]

1 minute ago, Roys Boys said:

My biggest concern is algae blooms in Dresden.. last thing I want is tourists to find out theirs harmful algae blooms on Seneca lake

We already have many harmful algae blooms on Seneca.  This would make for more of them.

[CHINOOKY]

Pa fish New York as there's no major reserviors or bodies of water. Not for your clean water and skies lol.......

[BSmaster]

I need more information.  I don't grab my pitchfork and get my panties all bunched up over concern which may be warranted but not necessarily of sky falling proportions.  I don't remember these issues when it was a coal plant.  I do remember the fishing.  Checks and balances - something our governments aren't very good at.  Example - Walmart gets to develop wetlands and no one else does.  Think about why...

 

IDK any of the FL lake's organizations but they should be focused on human waste being discharged into the lake.  This is my "whataboutism" for today.

[CHINOOKY]

I always thought algae blooms were a result of high nitrogen runoff and other chemicals from fertilizers and such.  Frogger during the 80s-90s you spoke of the fishermen congregating around the warm water?  During that time was there a higher percentage of algae blooms? I guess its probably hard compare.  In Tampa it was terrrible to see the algae bloom come in and wipe out parts of the bay, Redfish and snook would be dead everywhere. So sad.  Hope that doesn't happen.  Do algae blooms kill lampreys? Just being trying to stay positive.

[Ray4852]

20 minutes ago, CHINOOKY said:

Pa fish New York as there's no major reserviors or bodies of water. Not for your clean water and skies lol.......

your state don't have any bodies of water to fish. LOL. look on your state map. up north on Lake Erie you have north east, 30 miles west, you have the marinas off Erie, go another 30 miles west you have Walnut Creek and go another 15 miles you have nice launch ramps  area on the Ohio PA border. lets go south now. south west area of your state you have two nice reservoirs with very good crappie fishing,  along with some walleye fishing. I know you have more reservoirs in your state too. 3 more just south of corning NY. you also have the allegany also for walleye and some crappie.  LOL. you come to the finger lakes because you want to fish. we have cleaner water. LOL. Dude get off the computer and discover your state a little. you have a lot down there. LOL

[ifishy]

i used to love wading out in the outlet in a pair of shorts in the summer the warm water attracts a lot of bait and fish.  not sure how much trout reproduction happens there but the discharge is very near the mouth so the spawning areas and natal areas would be relatively un-affected.   

Algae blooms are more dependent on nutrients like phosphorous than just temp.  I would say a turbine upgrade is in order it just makes sense for the economics.  One piece no one has mentioned is that running the plant will create some jobs.  

[CHINOOKY]

My point is your water and air are not any cleaner hence alga blooms and a power plant opening up is the easiest thing to point the blame when the real reason is all of the other pollution such as runoff we want to look past. I fish Erie and walnut creek its 4.5 hour drive vs 1.5 to Cayuga and an 1 hour to Seneca. I fish a jet boat on the Susquehanna as well and ice fish all year. I also fish Tioga/Hammond and Cowansque. As well as Oneida and Cannonsville.  I have not fished the Allegheny but would like to wanna go? New york is 15.7% water vs PA 2.8%. Smaller state easier to get to all that super clean water LOL.  I will get of my computer as this conversation is detracting from original poster sorry you took offense.  Look at some of Washington states policies on stream pollutants and runoff issues affecting salmon and trout fisheries spawning locations for a good read.