Ithaca (WENY) -- As WENY News reported earlier this week, there is a pending project with Dominion Transmission, Inc. called "New Market Project" involving the construction of a new compressor station in the town of Veteran, near Horseheads.

The compressor station would be an expansion of an existing Dominion Pipeline which runs through Ithaca, Horseheads, Syracuse and Albany. It would be used to transport natural gas to National Grid, which provides New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts with natural gas and electricity for homes and businesses.

Walter Hang with Toxins Targeting, Inc. says the environmental risks are too great, and is calling on the public to take action by sending a letter to Governor Cuomo.

"Toxics Targeting is posting at toxicstargeting.com a wide variety of documented spills involving the existing Dominion Pipeline and its various compressor stations. This is based on the Department of Environmental Conservation's own data and it shows very clearly that in many instances these releases [spills] were never cleaned up to state standards," Hang says during a press event.

Many of the spills cited by Toxics Targeting Inc. are from CNG Transmission - the company which operated the pipeline prior to Dominion. Dominion Transmission spokesperson Frank Mack says the leadership changed after the purchase.

"It used to be Consolidated Natural Gas, or CNG, and Dominion Resources purchased CNG back in 2000," Mack says.

"At this time, DTI has no outstanding sites that need to be cleaned up in New York State. Everything is up to speed," Mack adds.

Mack also says the "New Market Project" came about after National Grid says it needed to meet a higher demand of customers.

For Walter Hang, an alternative to the proposed project would be to simply cut down on energy use.

"New York already has more than enough natural gas, more than enough electricity. We have ample supply, according to the most recent report, for about a decade. And the key thing is, we're now really focused on reducing energy demand," Hang says.

Walter Hang goes on to say even if there is a small spill or leak, it can have a lasting impact.

"It's just a never-ending battle to eliminate the contamination hazards we've inherited from decades gone by."

To view details of the project, click here: https://www.dom.com/library/domcom/pdfs/gas-transmission/new-market/nysdec-sec401wqc-application.pdf