Capital New York | June 1, 2015 | Column by Scott Waldman

ALBANY—The state will give Global Partners more time to respond to the Department of Environmental Conservation's decision to require a full environmental review of a proposed crude oil heating facility in the Port of Albany.

Global initially had 10 days to respond to the D.E.C.'s move, which reversed a  2013 decision to not require a more-extensive environmental review. Environmental groups were furious and pressured D.E.C. for months to reconsider. Global Partners now has until July 1 to respond.

Global spokesman Scott Solomon said in a statement the D.E.C. has "requested additional information in connection" with its plans for the facility. The D.E.C.'s decision, he added, "does not affect Global’s day-to-day operations or activities at the Albany facility."

The project, which calls for seven boilers that would make it possible to offload heavy crude from oil trains, would open up the state and the Hudson River as a major new hub for oil-related traffic. Tar sands crude from western Canada would likely be shipped through Albany in large volumes if the boilers were approved.

The project has drawn national scrutiny because environmentalists consider tar sands crude one of the dirtiest fossil fuels and is
extremely difficult to clean up if it spilled in bodies of water.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/06/8569167/oil-transport-firm-gets-more-time-respond-dec