Press-Republican

Editorial

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.
comments powered by Disqus
August 31, 2010

EDITORIAL: Pipeline has great promise

Press-Republican

A natural-gas pipeline proposed for northern Franklin County may be the right medicine to improve the region's economic health, based on comments from a recent public hearing.

Enbridge, the Canadian-based parent company of St. Lawrence Gas, is willing to invest $14 million of the $20 million needed to extend its existing gas-transmission line from St. Lawrence County into the Town of Moira and on to the Village of Chateaugay.

Franklin County, Sen. Betty Little and Gov. David Paterson have pledged most of the other $6 million to make it happen.

Construction could start next fall and have its first users hooked on by the fall of 2012. The company's application is before the State Public Service Commission, which will determine whether the plan is viable and, if so, issue operational permits.

Among the high-volume users expected to tap in to the 48-mile pipeline are the Breyer's Yogurt plant in North Lawrence, four state prisons, Alice Hyde Medical Center, several school districts, many of Franklin County's public buildings and the Agri-Mark McCadam Cheese plant in Chateaugay.

Public comments at the hearing mostly favored the plan, but some dissenting voices came from homeowners who are not opposed to the project but do object to what they describe as "high-pressure tactics" the company used to obtain easements from some Brushton residents.

They claim elected county officials are preoccupied with pleasing St. Lawrence Gas rather than making their constituents with legitimate concerns the top priority.

Bad feelings have also surfaced from fuel-company owners who don't want the county using tax dollars to put them out of business by subsidizing a project for a competing company.

Those concerns are real, and at the same time, the argument can be made that the pipeline will create good-paying jobs during construction where materials may be purchased locally.

Once the service is operational, there will be a boost in sales of natural-gas appliances and furnaces as well as smaller-scale construction projects to connect homeowners to the new system.

Also, end users are expected to save significant money on energy costs which could translate into more hiring, expansion of existing businesses and enticing new investment interest in the region.

There cannot be long-term recovery for the North Country's economy unless there is a move away from the status quo.

There are always consequences when taking bold steps forward, and the proposed pipeline is no exception.

Resourceful people and businesses will try to devise ways to capitalize on the proposal rather than be victimized by it.

Over the broad spectrum and the long haul, future prosperity belongs to the bold, not the timid. Introducing a new energy source to the area will reward many more people than it will penalize.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorial
  • Editorial: The long trail to success

    We're a big fan of the Saranac River Trail and have been since its conception almost a decade ago.

    May 29, 2012

  • Editorial: The real reason for the holiday

    Today is for creating new memories. Tomorrow, we should pause to remember. Memorial Day weekend, being the first big holiday of the sun season, is all about barbecues, picnics and outdoor activities; it is all about family and friends. After a North Country winter, even a fairly mild one like we just had, we need to relax in the sun and enjoy the outdoors.

    May 27, 2012

  • Editorial: Bright future, looking ahead A recent Associated Press story that ran in the Press-Republican must have brightened the mood of many college upperclassmen and their parents. It said statistics and anecdotal evidence point to a far more promising job outlook than students and graduates faced over the past four years.

    May 25, 2012

  • Editorial: Mail cuts will be fact of life The U.S. Postal Service, which turned 200 years old last year, is facing its most grave crisis since Benjamin Franklin took the helm in its infancy. Visionaries must now find that elusive balance between retaining vital service to the public and cutting costs to reflect actual revenue.

    May 24, 2012

  • Editorial: Traffic light isn't needed The City of Plattsburgh is wasting $100,000.That's how much it will cost to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Elm and Margaret streets in downtown Plattsburgh. It's a corner that we at the Press-Republican are very familiar with, as our main office is located on that block.

    May 23, 2012

  • Editorial: Hazing problem has local echoes

    News that Florida A&M University in Tallahassee has extended its suspension of its marching band for another year over a hazing death may seem a distant item for North Country readers. In fact, the story contains eerie echoes that make it not so far away and anything but inconsequential.

    May 22, 2012

  • Editorial: Promising developments

    Encouraging news reached the North Country last week on two economic fronts. The new contract for Bombardier Transportation and the revival of the Flanagan development show that our area still remains attractive in the world of business despite national economic strains.

    May 20, 2012

  • Editorial: Be safe on the lake

    Hundreds of people die every year nationwide in boating accidents. A free event tomorrow can help this area's boaters avoid being among those sad statistics.

    May 18, 2012

  • Editorial: Put new plan up for vote

    Plattsburgh taxpayers have sent an unmistakable message to the City School Board: Cut the budget.

    May 17, 2012

  • Editorial: Close loophole in porn law

    A court ruling last week regarding child pornography rightly drew gasps. We hope the State Legislature will act swiftly to adjust the law to eliminate this frightening new loophole.

    May 16, 2012