CAC Chair, Barbara Heinzen was invited to participate in a panel discussion at the second annual Robert J. Doherty Memorial Lecture on Sunday, April 14. The gathering was held at the SUNY School of Public Health by the Justice Center of Rensselaer County, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the memory of its co-founder with events that highlight important social and environmental issues.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. David O. Carpenter, Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at SUNY Albany. Also on the panel: Joe Ritchie of Lights Out Norlite, Bob Welton of Rensselaer Environmental Coalition Against Dunn Landfill, and Greg Campbell-Cohen of TIMBER (working to replace lead pipes in Troy).

Guest Speaker

Before the panel discussion, Guest Speaker, Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics, spoke about the many dangers of plastics and microplastics. “By design, plastics are not recyclable… and that’s why the only solution is to ‘make less plastic.'” Judith continued to stress the need for environmental standards for plastic packaging referencing her time at the EPA during the Obama Administration. “If you want a circular economy you’ve got to get toxins out of packaging.”

Protect Don’t Destroy

Heinzen then provided a timeline of the struggles that the residents of Ravena have had to confront in the Greater Ravena area, many created by the expansion of the Port of Coeymans: warding off waste burning at the local cement plant, advocating to pass the Clean Air Law in Albany County, and pushing the DEC for a cumulative impact study.

“I think the challenge of the 21st century is to include the natural world in our economic system in a positive way not a destructive way. There are no incentives for someone like me to increase biodiversity. I get nothing for removing the invasives from my property but the Port of Coeymans gets rewarded for destroying natural habitats. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Members of the CAC attended NYSERDA’s Offshore Wind Open House on Wed, January 17, 2024. The 3-hour gathering was 3 of 5 educational forums directed at communities impacted by the industry.

The event was held at the Albany Armory and included informational booths with winners of NYSERDA’s third solicitation competition: Community Offshore Wind, Attentive Energy One, and Vineyard Offshore. We were eager to present our concerns to the representatives of all three.

Reps at the NYSDEC booth, now the Lead Agency of the GE/LM Wind SEQR review in Coeymans, also provided us with a better understanding of their role in assessing the POWI project.

The CAC understands the benefits of renewable alternatives and the urgency to transition away from fossil fuels. We thank New York State for championing offshore wind however nobody should be willing to sacrifice quality of life and the destruction of native habitats in exchange.

There are two other Cap Region ports more suited to accommodate a wind blade facility without controversy: the Port of Albany and the East Greenbush location. Neither will destroy fragile ecosystems, drive up truck traffic in our hamlet, create stormwater runoff flow into the Hudson River, or put at risk principal water aquifers. In the larger context of future projects, renewable or not, we believe that these are the risks associated with the expansion of the Port of Coeymans.

CAC founder, Barbara Heinzen & friends made significant progress to the shoreline of the Hudson along the Hannacroix Creek this past year. The following slides show the potential of this shoreline and why it needs protecting.

The CAC’s resident documentarian edited together several comments made during Wednesday’s second public hearing regarding the offshore wind project. A special thank you to all who spoke with conviction and passion. Our collective voices made a difference. The CAC especially appreciated that the town hall didn’t open their doors until 6:30. That allowed everyone a chance to wait their turn for a seat.  It was a warm night and while folks waited Sara handed out her homemade cookies frosted with yellow and green (RCS colors) “Pos Dec” lettering. Also, courtesy of Sara were the homemade badges pushing for POS DEC or Positive Declaration.

Channel 6 gave us some good headlines as well!

NYSDEC is the lead agency

Watch WRGB, Channel 6’s Briana Suparti’s excellent coverage of this important local news story including an interview with CAC member, Ashley Redfield:

This is what happened at the Coeymans Planning/Zoning Board Public Hearing, Wednesday, 27 Dec 7pm.

Wednesday’s agenda had two major parts:
1) a public hearing on two Carver Companies applications to build wind power manufacturing along the Hudson River &
2) the Planning/Zoning Board’s consideration of those applications. 

The Board’s agenda led us to believe that they intended to
– make themselves the Lead Agency on these applications,
– decide there were no serious impacts &
– immediately approve both applications so work can begin. 

HOWEVER!

Before anyone spoke, Chairman Rob Nolan announced that the DEC had sent them a letter on December 22, 2023.  This very tough letter said that the DEC would be the Lead Agency reviewing the merits and impacts of this proposal, including the cumulative impact of industrial development.

Result? No hasty approval was possible last night.

We now have a longer time to make an honest assessment of the proposal’s possible impacts on the Hudson River, the local environment, and the community.

This was a big win for the Clean Air Coalition!

Thank you for ALL your support! 

& keep your eye on our website for our next video blog.