At a public meeting in Kingston this week, the federal Department of Energy accepted public input about Toronto-based Transmission Developers' plan for the Champlain-Hudson Express. The 384-mile line, proposed for construction under Lake Champlain, the Champlain Canal and the Hudson River, would transmit up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity generated in Canada to New York City.

The transmission line's proposed route."Fish species (in the river) are under great duress, and what we don't want to see is another source of stress," said Phillip Musegass, director of Hudson River programs for Riverkeeper. Jergen Wekerle of the Sierra Club listed a number of power projects that already have been approved or almost approved in the metro area, and asked the feds to consider overall capacity and need.

To get $1.52 billion in federal loan guarantees, a part of the federal stimulus package, TDI must start construction by September 2011, The Times Herald-Record reported. 

The New York State Public Service Commission has pointed out seven flaws in TDI's application and made 83 additional requests for information. Jerry Pell, a federal environmental scientist who conducted this week's hearing, will consider public comments when conducting the federal government's environmental review, which is required because the line would be transnational.

"This project is still all about timing," TDI President Don Jessome said. "There's nothing we see at this point that's going to trip us up."