Craryville Gateway works to make solar project a win-win for Copake

Part I

COPAKE — Hoping to make Hecate Energy’s Shepherd’s Run Solar Farm a win-win for Copake, representatives from the Columbia Land Conservancy, Scenic Hudson, Sensible Solar for Rural New York and Friends of Columbia Solar, who call themselves Craryville Gateway, held a virtual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 17. The goal was to solicit ideas to help ensure Shepherd’s Run will benefit Copake and the local environment.

Hecate Energy is planning to build a 60-megawatt photovoltaic solar facility, which will convert light into energy, on several non-contiguous sites along routes 23 and 7 in Copake.

Along with generating 110,000 megawatts of new renewable energy annually, the project promises to boost the local economy, reduce local reliance of fossil fuels and provide significant revenues for local government, schools and services.

Two years after the project was introduced, town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler said while the town is not opposed to solar farms, Shepherd’s Run is too big for Copake and is poorly sited.

“The town believes it is possible to protect the planet while also protecting rural environments,” she said.

Following a five-hour meeting with the town last fall, Mettler said Hecate made two concessions — to substitute owl-friendly fencing for chain-link fencing and to substantially improve screening.

But Hectate is still planning to install 228 acres of solar panels “virtually in people’s front yards and on prime farmland,” said Mettler.

Multiple forums about Shepherd’s Run have been held in the past two years. The more than 90 people last week were told that forum was sponsored by Craryville Gateway, which has been working collaboratively since last fall. It’s garnered much support, including from State Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-106), American Farmland Trust, Cornell University and many others.

Craryville Gateway stressed Hecate isn’t part of its group. Though it hopes to work with Hecate, it’s examining the project on its own and soliciting feedback independently.

“We applaud the working group for having come together to build consensus,” Mettler said. “We are grateful for the fact that you care enough about Copake to put in long hours and engage in difficult conversations… We are eager to hear the details of your report.”

She noted the group will need to convince the state to pass new laws.

“Your success can only be measured by the extent to which you convince New York State to pass new legislation which respects rural towns and the value of local habitat and character,” she said, “and of course, the extent to which you can convince Hecate to actually address the demands made by your proposal.”

In the Copake Connection town newsletter emailed on Feb. 15, Mettler wrote she learned Hecate announced in “it will file [its intent to file an application] on Feb. 18, just 10 days after receiving the working group’s report. If Hecate is serious about its stated intention to be a collaborative community partner with Copake, it will hit the pause button and take the time to modify its Shepherd’s Run proposal to incorporate the working group’s recommendations into the siting permit application.”

Craryville Gateway’s presentation may be viewed at www.craryvillegateway.org.

To learn more about what Copake residents had to say about Hecate Energy’s Shepherd’s Run Solar Farm proposal, read Part II in next week’s Millerton News.