BUILDING HISTORY
Ruth Piwonka has been involved in Hudson River Valley history for the entire 35 years that she has lived in Kinderhook. She works with the Columbia County Historical Society and with groups, such as Clover Reach, applying for nomination on the National Register of Historic Places. She is co-author of the book, "A Visible Heritage: Columbia County, New York, a History in Art and Architecture."
Ms. Piwonka's expertise in the historical significance of Columbia County and its architectural structures has been an integral part of the HVPC's case to stop the plant. Using 18th and 19th century maps and personal inspections, she has prepared a reconnaissance-level survey of historic buildings and homes potentially impacted by the SLC proposal.
Of particular interest to Ms. Piwonka is the valley's Dutch cultural heritage. She explained that the Dutch probably embraced the significant landscape around Claverack Creek because its landforms were much like those in their mother country. The SLC plant and mine would be "plumb on top of" a cluster of historic, 17th century Dutch homes. In addition, Martin Van Buren's home, a national historic landmark, in Kinderhook is a mere 12 miles from SLC's proposed site.
"I have a long history of opposing oversize anything," said Ms. Piwonka.
Ms. Piwonka's bottom line is that the size of the plant is simply too big for Columbia County. "It just doesn't fit. Not only in a spatial way, but also in a psychological way - it is an intrusion. There is too much Hudson Valley and national history here; it's better left preserved." |
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IN OLANA'S VIEW
Margaret Davidson has been a part-time resident of Columbia County since 1990. She become involved with The Olana Partnership when a friend asked her to join the board in 1994.
Chairman of the group's Landscape Viewshed Committee, Ms. Davidson and the committee seek to protect and restore Olana's landscape and viewshed. She is part of the team that is implementing the committee's Landscape Restoration Plan, part of the comprehensive plan approved by the state to guide the long-term development, restoration and conservation of the house and landscape. |
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One of the formal intervenors in the SLC administrative proceedings, the partnership is concerned with potential air emissions impacts on the structure and decorative fabric of Olana's main house. Olana's ornate exterior is constructed of stone, brick, terra cotta, wood and delicate metals including lead-coated copper, gold leaf and tin-plated steel roofing.
A passionate spokesperson, Ms. Davidson said, "There is no way to mitigate or offset the visual impacts of the plant. The plant and plume will be seen from several important vantage points at Olana, including the house's bell tower and Cosy Cottage, and the air emissions will degrade the house. It's unacceptable and we are doing everything in our means to stop the plant."
Her personal connection to the campaign is evident, "Olana's viewshed isn't like other open space areas that enjoy legal protection. Frederic E. Church actually created these spectacular views through landscape design within the backdrop of the Hudson River and Catskills. He believed that his landscape was just as important as his paintings. It is this individual vision that we are trying to protect."
The HVPC wishes to thank Ms. Davidson and our comrades at The Olana Partnership for their effort and spirit in the collaboration to stop the SLC plant. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Norma Ramos took her first stand against SLC when she demonstrated outside the Swiss Embassy in Manhattan (Holcim is SLC's Swiss-owned parent company). In her meeting with the Swiss representatives, she and others discussed how Holcim and SLC were engaging in "environmental blackmail" in Camden, N.J., and were targeting a similar population in Hudson, N.Y.
A resident of Ancramdale and New York City, Ms. Ramos is a former administrative law judge with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, a member of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice Advisory Group and a board member of West Harlem Environmental Action. |
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Norma holds firmly that the SLC plant poses an enormous threat to the health and well being of the people who would live near it, full- and part-timers alike.
"As we build our opposition to SLC, we have to keep the message clear that we will not hand our lungs or our children's lungs over in order to get a job, regardless of whether that promise will ever pan out. The people of Columbia County want economic development that's environmentally friendly and promotes a non-toxic work environment."
Locally Ms. Ramos has spoken at various Columbia County resident and neighbor associations, urging them to adopt resolutions opposing the plant. In January 2003 she moderated a HVPC and Friends of Hudson roundtable discussion with fellow citizen activists opposing Holcim/SLC plants in New Jersey and Texas. |
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