Despite the protestation of neighbors of the project, the Ulster Town Board has granted Central Hudson five-and-a-half more years to complete construction of a training center and distribution facility in Lake Katrine.
“Nothing on the site plan has changed that would give the town board the right to require Central Hudson to reapply,” said Supervisor James E. Quigley, III during a Town Board meeting held on Thursday, June 1.
Site plan approval was originally granted on November 21, 2019 for Central Hudson for the construction of the facility on a 56-acre parcel adjacent to a current 5.42-acre equipment center using a 1.8-acre parcel and the west end of the two properties. The clock began ticking on July 9, 2020 on a three-year window for completion of the project, but Central Hudson officials recently submitted a request for the extension due to COVID-19 scheduling and supply chain delays, and, according to Quigley, “PSC (Public Service Commission) determinations relating to capital Investments by Central Hudson and the placement of those capital investments in the rate base.”
Under the extension, Central Hudson now has until December 31, 2028 to complete the project.
Planned for the site are a primary electric transmission and distribution control center 40,351-square-foot academy, a 31,358-square-foot indoor training area, a gas village with six residential training buildings, an 800-square-foot commercial training building, a 240-square-foot apartment training building, and a simulated electric transmission and distribution poll yard.
Prior to the vote to approve the extension request, some neighbors of the project asked that council members take into account their issues with how the project has unfolded, as well as a general perception that Central Hudson hasn’t been a good neighbor locally or across the state.
“To date, Central Hudson has done little to keep their promises to our neighbors and citizens,” said Deborah Denise. “They said that they would plant trees, they said they would put up a berm; we haven’t seen any of that and yet the racket and the tearing up of the ground has continued.”
Denise said a floodwater runoff pond on the Central Hudson site was also causing issues, and could lead to catastrophe if not corrected.
“About a year ago we had a massive flood on Glenerie (Boulevard),” Denise said. “Two or three of our neighbors ended up with over 12 feet of water coming in at their doors. I have continued to see even with a light rain the hole that was made continues to emit mud whenever it rains, even if it’s a light one. This means eventually that whole side is going to cave in and God forbid there’s a train going over top. People are going to die not to mention the loss of property the loss of everything.”
Denise asked that the Town Board hold Central Hudson more accountable for their actions during the construction phase of the project, and asked that the utility be less opaque about its future plans.
“Hold off on making this decision until we know exactly what they intend to do
and exactly when they intend to do it,” Denise said. “I’m tired of them coming in, patting us on the head like we’re all little dumb children and doing what they damn well please.”
Regis Obijiski asked that the Town Board postpone its vote to approve the extension request until it could hold a public hearing as he felt Central Hudson had not been living up to its side of the bargain.
“In 2019, when the Town of Ulster approved the Central Hudson application for the site plan, many of us at that time felt that this revered public utility was not only a good neighbor in the community, but also they exhibited competent and unselfish leadership throughout theregion,” Obijiski said. “Since then Central Hudson has squandered much goodwill with this project and also earned the mistrust and even the scorn of most of its customers and regulators regarding billing practices.”
Obijiski said the utility company had “infuriated” many local residents who live near the project site.
“Adding five more years to the completion of this controversial development without any stated reasons whatsoever ignores the sensibilities of our citizens, prolongs the ill effects of this development, and leaves them bereft of adequate representation,” Obijiski said.“A request from this gas and electric utility should not be treated as if a fait accompli.”
Another area resident Pedro Santiago also opposed the granting of the extension.
“I have been encountering noise and pollution,” Santiago said. “Central Hudson has proven that they are not the good neighbor that they like to project. I’ve noticed that if as people we stay asleep and don’t keep our eyes on what’s happening, this is what happens. We get screwed over. And I definitely feel screwed over and I’m very angry.”
Quigley said Central Hudson had completed the “intrusive work” on the project, including blasting, dirt removal and tree cutting, and said a berm on Eastern Parkway was close to completion subject to minor grading and planting of trees, issues brought up by some of the project’s neighbors.
“There are none of those activities left to be completed,” Quigley said, noting that there was still some building construction remaining, as well as a “pole yard” consisting of a series of 40-foot utility poles, and other on site construction. He also countered assertions that the utility company had not been a good neighbor.
“Whenever we have asked Central Hudson to do something they have complied,” Quigley said.
The supervisor added that delaying the project further would serve no purpose.
“I don’t believe it is a responsible town government that’s going to hold up a capital project that is going to benefit the climate challenge that we are facing in this community by delaying a project that is so integral to the integration of solar capacity into the grid by dragging this out,” Quigley said.
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