SLATE HILL – Wawayanda Town Judge Timothy McElduff refused to recuse himself on Thursday in the case of six people who were arrested last December for blocking the entrance to the construction site of the CPV Valley Energy Project power plant.
Attorney Michael Sussman, representing the six defendants, sought to have the judge remove himself from the case contending the judge and town officials were strong proponents of the project and ran on the same political party ticket in the last election.
The next court date is Thursday, April 21.
Those who were arrested, including actor James Cromwell who lives in Warwick, say their actions were necessary to stop what they believe to be destruction underway from the project that would release massive amounts of green-house gases and place local residents at risk for their health and safety.
The project would use fracked gas from Pennsylvania through the Millennium Pipeline to generate electricity.
