Williamsburg Land Battle Ruling; City Can't Condemn Waterfront Site

Williamsburg - A judge has ruled that the city cannot condemn land on the waterfront at Kent Avenue and North 12th Street in Williamsburg where TransGas Energy wants to build a power plant - and where the city wants to put a park.

The project sited on the property is for an electrical and steam plant, across the East River from Con Edison's 14th St. power plant.

The proximity would allow TransGas to send steam to Con Ed in case of a devastating winter power outage.

The state Board on Electric Generation Siting has considered the $2 billion project on the site since 2002, but the city initiated legal action last summer seeking to take over the site.

The 8-acre plot is part of a sweeping residential rezoning of the area adopted by the City Council in May.

The power plant is opposed by Brooklyn activists, City Hall and local leaders, who yesterday blasted Gov. Pataki for not killing the project. City Councilman David Yassky said, "the person with the silver bullet who can kill it is Pataki, and has refused to fire that shot."