MID-HUDSON – The State Department of Environmental Conservation continued their series of hearings regarding the proposed Danskammer Energy Center power plant, Monday evening, which met with disapproval by some local elected officials.
The proposed plant in the Town of Newburgh, would replace an older less efficient facility, developers say.
The new owners are seeking approval for air quality permits. The plant would be located at the old Danskammer generation station, which is currently in partial use and would be a 536-megawatt, 720-yearly-load-hour natural gas and ultra-low sulfur diesel operation.
At the previous hearings, many local officials and unions for the area championed the plant for bringing back jobs and a tax base to an area which has lacked it since the plant was operated by Dynegy.
Monday, Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou said although his city would like to see the local jobs created by the new plant, it does not outweigh the city’s intention to remain net-zero for carbon emissions and other advisements suggesting the plant is unnecessary for the power grid.
“Since our 2019 resolution, additional information makes our opposition only clearer,” said Kyriacou. “The New York State Power Generation Advisory Panel recommended a moratorium on new and repowered fossil-fuel plants and the DEC found that this proposed plant’s application had not justified project need, nor shown compliance to New York State’s climate law. There are other reasons to do this; but, I think the focus on lack of need and lack of consistency with the climate goals should reach a negative conclusion for this proposal on its own,” he said.
This position is in line with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed within the state in July 2019.
Deputy Mayor of the Village of New Paltz, Alexandra Wojcik, alleged the proposal is racist and white supremacist, a sentiment echoed by some residents as well, even back in the last set of hearings in March.
“It’s no secret that the devastating effects of the global climate change crisis disproportionately affect the most marginal members of our communities,” said Wojcik. “Even proposing the Danskammer buildout is racist and classist and to support this project is to perpetuate white supremacy,” she said.
The public hearings on the Danskammer Energy Center will continue on August 25th at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. virtually through WebEx. Written comments will be accepted until September 13th and should be addressed either to Michael Higgins NYS DEC Division of Environmental Permits, or to Danskammerenergy@dec.ny.gov.
