NORWICH – With no public hearings scheduled within 140 miles of where a controversial federal policy would assist the New York Regional Interconnect power line to be built, Congressman Michael Arcuri (D-Utica) is holding an informational meeting Saturday in Norwich to help explain, and denounce, the process.

Guided by the 2005 Energy Policy Act, the U.S. Department of Energy has listed all eight counties NYRI would encroach as part of a draft-version Mid-Atlantic “National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor,” which runs from Northern New York state into Virgina. A second corridor covers portions of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Within these corridors, the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission can fast-track power line proposals and approve projects that have been denied at the state level.

Since the announcement in April, the DOE has held several public hearings to gather comments the agency says will be considered when formulating the official NIETC’s designations later this year. The closest such meeting locally was held May 24 in New York City. Another has been tentatively scheduled for Rochester, 140 miles from where NYRI’s line – the only visible project that will currently benefit from the NIETC – would begin.

Arcuri’s hearing will start at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the City of Norwich Fire House on East Main Street.