Staff Reporter, Rick Karlin, of the Capital Region Times Union newspaper published a story on Sept 13, 2024, that only told half the story. Here’s what he missed:
To the Editor,
I have long admired Rick Karlin’s environmental reporting. However, his recent article about the Port of Coeymans failed to question the Port’s fanciful public relations campaign. Josh Kowalski, the Port’s vice president of sales and business development, said “Acreage is our selling point .. we have the space …”, but a quick tour of the Port would show it is completely built out. It can only expand by invading residential areas or corruptly manipulating local zoning laws. Carver Companies has already clearcut an important indigenous woodland along the Hudson and would continue such destruction if allowed to expand in Coeymans. In short, there is no more space at the Port of Coeymans. Nor is there room on our residential two-lane roads for the heavy industrial truck traffic the Port has already attracted, let alone an increase in such traffic. Mr. Karlin is an experienced reporter and should be able to recognize when he is being sold a fairytale that needs to be questioned before it is reported as fact. Moreover, despite its impressive PR, the Port of Coeymans is not the only port along the Hudson that can handle large infrastructure and wind power projects; it is just the area’s only non-union port. The Capital Region has room at the Port of Albany and has considerable space in Rensselaer. TU reporters should take a look around or even talk to local residents before swallowing exaggerated claims from the Port of Coeymans.
Barbara Heinzen
Local Resident & Chair of Clean Air Coalition of Greater Ravena-Coeymans