Stannard v. Axelrod

100 Misc. 2d 702, 419 N.Y.S.2d 1012, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2530
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 2, 1979
StatusPublished

This text of 100 Misc. 2d 702 (Stannard v. Axelrod) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stannard v. Axelrod, 100 Misc. 2d 702, 419 N.Y.S.2d 1012, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2530 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1979).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Frederick B. Bryant, J.

On August 13, 1973, the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation filed an application with the Public Service Commission (hereafter PSC) for a "certificate of environmental compatibility and public need” pursuant to article 7 of the Public Service Law to obtain authorization for the construction and operation of the Lafayette-Oakdale transmission facility (hereafter L/O). After extensive public hearings, the PSC on March 22, 1976 issued opinion and Order No. 76-6, (Case No. 26482) granting the certificate subject to numerous conditions set forth therein, for the L/O 345-kilovolt transmission facility.

On July 14, 1977 a petition to reopen Case No. 26482 was presented to the PSC on the ground that inadequate consideration had been given to the health and safety aspects of the transmission facility. The PSC denied the petition by an order issued December 6, 1977 which stated in part that the PSC was presently holding common record hearings on the biological effects of high-voltage transmission lines and that upon completion of health and safety investigation it would apply the findings and determinations to all certified 345-kilovolt lines, including L/O and would require the utilities operating comparable transmission facilities to make adjustments that were found necessary to assure safe operation of high-voltage transmission facilities, including the L/O facility.

[704]*704In a notice issued on June 16, 1975, to all parties in cases pending under article 7 of the Public Service Law, the Commission advised that it was conducting an investigation of the specific environmental impacts of high-voltage transmission lines and that evidence developed in the record of that proceeding and determinations made there might be applicable to cases involving the construction of other overhead high-voltage transmission lines. "Parties who wished to speak to the issues described in that notice were invited to participate in the common record hearings, which were intended to be generic in scope”.

The petitioners herein have brought this proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 for a judgment:

"1) Directing the Respondents to hold public hearings to assist the Respondents to exercise supervision over and to regulate the public health aspects of the nonionizing electromagnetic radiation from the high voltage transmission line identified as the LaFayette-Oakdale 345 kV Transmission Facility (hereinafter referred to as L/O).

"2) Directing the Respondents to seek scientific testimony regarding the said public health aspects of the nonionizing electromagnetic radiation of the (L/O) line from the foremost authorities in the area of the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation.

"3) Directing the Respondents to perform or cause to be performed scientific experiments involving laboratory animals or human volunteers for the purpose of resolving all unanswered questions concerning the extent of the risk to health posed by the electromagnetic field of the (L/O) transmission line.

"4) Directing the Respondents to perform or cause to be performed a research program employing recognized scientific experts to respond to the specific questions raised in Dr. Marino’s statement annexed to the petition.

"5) Directing the Respondents to adopt and promulgate rules, regulations, and procedures to insure that the Petitioners will be protected from an unhealthy electromagnetic environment as a result of the operation of the (L/O) transmission line.

"6) Directing the Respondents to insure that all rules, regulations and procedures adopted and promulgated to protect Petitioners, and others, from an unhealthy electromag[705]*705netic environment as a result of the operation of the (L/O) transmission line shall be founded only on competent evidence adduced at forums open to the public, and, that the aforesaid rules, regulations, and procedures shall be openly arrived at.

"7) Directing the Respondents to abate the involuntary human experimentation upon the Petitioners’ bodies that will result from the operation of the said (L/O) line as presently planned.

"8) Directing the Respondents, pending performance of all acts specified in paragraphs XI)’ to X7)’ above, to prevent operation of the said (L/O) transmission line because such operation would:

"a. constitute a nuisance within the meaning of § 201 and § 1300 of the Public Health Law; and "b. constitute human experimentation on the bodies of the Petitioners within the meaning of Article 24-A of the Public Health Law, and, inter alia, the Petitioners have not given informed consent for such experiments.

"c. result in the injection of a hazardous substance into the environment within the meaning of Article 37 of the Public Health Law which will seriously endanger the health of the Petitioners; and

"d. constitute serious state action violating the Petitioners’ constitutional right to the equal protection of the law as guaranteed by Article 1, Section 11 of the Constitution of the State of New York and under the Fourteenth Amendment— Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.

"e. constitute serious state action violating the Petitioners’ right to due process under the law as guaranteed by Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution of the State of New York and under the Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.

"f. and for such other and further relief as may be just.”

The respondents David Axelrod, M.D., New York State Commissioner of Health; New York State Department of Health; New York State Public Health Council; Robert F. Flacke, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner; and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (hereinafter State respondents) have moved for an order pursuant to CPLR 7804 (subd [f]):

"I. Dismissing the petition as to David Axelrod, M.D., New York State Commissioner of Health; New York State Depart[706]*706ment of Health; New York State Public Health Council; Robert F. Flacke, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner; and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (hereinafter 'State respondents’) on the grounds that:

"A. The Supreme Court of the State of New York lacks subject matter jurisdiction of this proceeding by virtue of the provisions of Article VII of the Public Service Law;

"B: Article VII of the Public Service Law expressly precludes the named State respondents from asserting the regulatory powers over the Lafayette-Oakdale 345 kV Transmission Facility which petitioners seek to compel them to exercise in this proceeding;

"C. The extraordinary remedy of mandamus will not lie in this proceeding, since the petitioners seek to compel the performance by the State respondents of statutory powers which are purely discretionary.”

Cameron F. McRae, Broome County Commissioner of Health; and the Broome County Department of Health (hereinafter County respondents) have also moved to dismiss the petition on the same grounds enumerated in the State respondents’ motion.

The petitioners assert that the notice of motion of the County respondents was not timely served and urge this court to bar the County respondents from moving to dismiss and raising objections in point of law against the petition.

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Related

Community Action Against Lead Poisoning v. Lyons
325 N.E.2d 870 (New York Court of Appeals, 1975)
Community Action Against Lead Poisoning v. Lyons
43 A.D.2d 201 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1974)
Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v. Public Service Commission
54 A.D.2d 225 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1976)
Atwell v. Power Authority
67 A.D.2d 365 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1979)

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Bluebook (online)
100 Misc. 2d 702, 419 N.Y.S.2d 1012, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2530, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stannard-v-axelrod-nysupct-1979.