On Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 7:00 PM, the Copake Town Board will host a special, informational ZOOM meeting to update residents on Hecate Energy’s proposed 500-acre, 60 MW solar installation planned for Craryville and Copake, NY. During the online forum, Copake officials will brief residents about Hecate Energy’s proposed solar project, its potential impacts on our community, Copake’s existing laws pertaining to the siting of solar energy systems, and the New York State-mandated process for reviewing and approving Hecate Energy’s proposed solar installation.
Concerned citizens in Columbia County, NY have formed the Sensible Solar for Rural New York coalition in opposition to the Shepherd’s Run Solar Installation – a proposed 500-acre, 60-megawatt solar installation to be sited near New York State Route 23, Route 7 and Route 11A in Craryville — a hamlet in Copake, New York and adjacent to the Taconic Hills Central School and Copake Lake community and recreational area.
While Sensible Solar for Rural New York supports renewable energy, the homeowners, farmers, small businesses, non-governmental organizations and community leaders represented stand united in that the scale and siting of Hecate Energy’s proposed 500-acre solar installation is not right for our rural community or the Hudson Valley region.
“We believe the magnitude of Hecate Energy’s proposed solar installation will be detrimental to our area and will have a long-term, negative impact on existing waterways and displace native and endangered wildlife and birds – the proposed site of solar installation is in close proximity to Hillsdale’s Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Center and Sanctuary,” said Darin Johnson, Director of Sensible Solar for New York. “In addition, the solar utility-scale installation will remove hundreds of acres of prime farmland from use, which is in direct conflict with Copake and Columbia County’s Farmland Protection Plans,” continued Johnson.
To learn more about Sensible Solar for Rural New York, please visit www.sensiblesolarny.org.
To join the town meeting on Wednesday via ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88910737960
Meeting ID: 889 1073 7960
Columbia County Current 