NORWICH – Todd Barnes says he wishes he still had the letter sent by state Senator Tom Libous, congratulating him and his brother Jody on the successful up and coming business they started in Chenango County.

“It was a letter saying it was good to hear about a business that was doing well,” said Barnes, co-owner of Barnes Bluestone in Norwich, whose stone sales and custom cutting operation on East River Road would be engulfed by the proposed $1.6 billion New York Regional Interconnection power line. “Then you turn around a year later, and they (NYRI) want to take out one of the businesses that was being commended.”

While anger and uncertainty along the route may not be calmed until there’s a final decision made on the project, the Madison and Chenango County opposition group STOP NYRI has organized a meeting to listen to the public, and make the facts of the case clear.

“It’s time to hold a public meeting to lay out the issues in clear and understandable terms,” said Norwich resident Perry Owen, a member of STOP NYRI. “The last NYRI informational meeting left residents very confused regarding the company’s plan.”