CLAVERACK–In a press release issued Tuesday, October 7, town Councilwoman Katy Cashen said that the Town Board was briefed at its latest workshop session by Ian Solomon, head of Farmers and Families for Claverack (FFC) on the proposed power line project that would go through the town of Claverack.
The state Public Service Commission (PSC) is currently reviewing proposals to run new high voltage lines from further upstate to a Dutchess County site to supply more power to New York City and Long Island. Attempts to reach PSC officials about the project before press deadline were unsuccessful.
A public informational meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, October 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Churchtown firehouse. The release says the Town Board urges the public to attend to hear about the latest developments, including an important new research report from a scientist.
Claverack Supervisor Clifford “Kippy” Weigelt and board members Stephen Hook, Brian Keeler, Bill Gerlach and Ms. Cashen released a statement from their workshop meeting saying they were “extremely disappointed to learn that, despite widespread public concern and thousands of comments filed with the Public Service Commission (PSC), the PSC has apparently ignored the public and instead decided to move forward with its plans to entertain proposals from developers, with no obligation or incentive to keep the line within the existing right-of-way. There seems to be, in fact, very little evidence that the concerns of Hudson Valley residents were taken into account at all.”
The statement said expansion of the line could have a negative impact property and local taxes and raised the possibility of eminent domain proceedings. The board said this could have “a lasting negative impact on our community” even though the state has not proved the line is needed.
In 2013 the Town Board passed a resolution, opposing the applications as written.
