Case Study

Long Island Power Authority – Southampton to Bridgehampton Transmission Line Project

SPR is environmental counsel to the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and represented LIPA in connection with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the construction of a transmission line between the LIPA substations located in Southampton and Bridgehampton on the East End of Long Island. The project, which also included an expansion of the Bridgehampton substation, was controversial because of the proposal to install part of the line above ground on poles installed along the route of existing overhead distribution lines. SPR led the EIS project team and defended LIPA when its project approval was challenged in New York State Supreme Court. The matter was successfully resolved when LIPA and the Town of Southampton entered into an agreement on a funding mechanism to permit the entire installation of the line underground without burdening LIPA ratepayers as a whole with the expense for that additional work.