Contact: Director of Environmental Advocacy Hayley Carlock, 845 891 3148 or hcarlock@scenichudson.org
HUDSON VALLEY—Scenic Hudson commends Ulster County Executive Mike Hein for his recent statement opposing the Glidepath/Lincoln Park gas-fired power plant proposal in the Town of Ulster. Scenic Hudson shares the county’s opposition to this project—or any fossil fuel infrastructure project in this location—and its concern about misaligned state and federal policies that promote the siting of polluting power plants in the Hudson Valley. The county executive’s statement is the latest in a series of strong environmental and renewable energy actions taken by the county.
Scenic Hudson has played an active role convening local citizens and informing grass-roots coalitions that have mobilized in opposition to the Glidepath/Lincoln park proposal. It has advocated for a robust SEQRA review of the project and submitted detailed comments on the Draft Scope for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement. This led to a Final Scope that requires analysis of alternatives—including renewable energy facilities plus battery storage and battery storage-only.
Opposition to the Lincoln Park power plant is based on the project’s greenhouse gas emissions, other air impacts, potential impacts to wetlands and aquifers, potential visual impacts from the exhaust stacks and accompanying plumes from both within the Town of Ulster and from the National Historic Landmark District across the river, and impacts to the residential community surrounding the plant site. Like County Executive Hein, Scenic Hudson opposes any fossil fuel infrastructure at this site.
“Ulster County Executive Mike Hein gets it right—both in opposing the Glidepath/Lincoln Park power plant and calling for alignment of federal and state policies regarding the siting of power plants in the region. We look forward to working with him, both on halting this project and promoting the development of clean, renewable energy, rather than new fossil-fuel plants, while conserving the region’s natural and scenic treasures,” said Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan.
Despite renewable energy push, federal, state policies still encourage building fossil-fuel plants
Mr. Hein’s statement is all the more important because state policies relating to the siting of energy facilities and protection of the environment are not aligned. While Gov. Cuomo pursues clean energy goals that put New York on the vanguard of energy policy, countervailing incentives from federal and state government and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which monitors the reliability of the state’s power system and coordinates the daily operations to distribute electricity supply, actually encourage building new fossil fuel plants.
“Scenic Hudson wants to work closely with the state and county to ensure that policies to accomplish the governor’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy and protecting environmental values are in place,” said Scenic Hudson Environmental Advocacy Director Hayley Carlock.
While opposing damaging fossil fuel projects such as the proposed Lincoln Park power plant, Scenic Hudson also is working to promote renewable energy development to meet New York State’s ambitious goals, while simultaneously preserving important natural and economic resources. Earlier this year, the organization published “Clean Energy, Green Communities,” a guide to siting renewable energy facilities in the Hudson Valley. It sets forth siting and design principles for renewable energy development to help stakeholders find common ground in a regional model for increased renewable energy development that also protects natural and community resources.
About Scenic Hudson
Scenic Hudson helps citizens and communities preserve land and farms and create parks where people experience the outdoors and enjoy the Hudson River. We also bring together people, businesses and government to protect the river and natural resources that are the engines of the valley’s local economies. Started in 1963 by a handful of citizens who cherished the simple pleasures of the outdoors along the Hudson, Scenic Hudson is credited with launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today, in the face of new challenges and the effects of climate change, we are dedicated to making the Hudson Valley a great place to live, work and play. Our focus is on strengthening and maximizing benefits all can enjoy from the region’s great assets—beautiful open spaces, working farms, and vibrant cities and town centers.
