To: The Town of Torrey Board and Planning Board
Re: Greenidge Expansion on Seneca Lake

As leaders of faith, we are called to bring a prophetic word when it comes to the world and its peoples.
From the beginning, humanity has been given the grave responsibility of caring for creation.  The Creator called what was created “good” and we are all expected, indeed required, to keep it good.
What is happening with the Greenidge Gas-Powered Facility fails to meet any measure of keeping creation good.  The amount of power required to “mine” crypto currency means that the environment around the facility is threatened by ever-increasing harmful algal blooms, excessively hot water being discharged, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and toxic noise levels.
For what reason would good leaders want to allow harm to come to Seneca Lake?  Why threaten what is often called the “Trout Capital of the World” by killing off the valuable trout with that excessively hot water?  Why destroy the ecosystem that supports a multi-million dollar tourist industry with toxic algal blooms?  Why lower property values and tax bases by polluting the air with excessive noise and excessive emissions?
It seems that the issues with the Greenidge Gas-Powered Facility are not that dissimilar to the issues with propane storage in depleted salt mines in the Town of Reading.  In that situation, threats to Seneca Lake, the lake residents, and the tourist industry were decried by you.  The Town of Torrey, along with many other towns, counties, and city governments, came out publicly in opposition to that disastrous plan.  The wisdom of that opposition can be found in the results: the plan was abandoned.  The Greenidge project carries much of the same threats to the lake, the residents, and the tourist industry.  
With the Town of Reading, there was concern that, with DEC permits in place, nothing could be done.  There was also a concern about being sued if the project was not allowed to go forward.  Neither fear was realized.
The leaders of the Town of Torrey were found on the right side of history with the propane project and have the opportunity to be the same now.
We offer a pastoral word, too.  You have the power in your call as leaders in the Town of Torrey to protect your community.  There is nothing to be lost in declaring a moratorium until all the facts have been studied to determine if the threat we perceive is actually there.  Your own laws mandate that the Keuka Outlet and Seneca Lake be protected from harm.  How can you make that determination until all the factors have been studied?  You instituted a moratorium on fracking gas (3/6/12), you can institute a moratorium now and we ask that you do so.
Therefore, we, the undersigned faith leaders, wish to state that we strongly oppose the expansion of the Greenidge Gas-Powered Facility in Dresden because such expansion is incompatible with humanity’s call of responsibility to protect and care for creation.  

Signed,