Glidepath drops its Ulster County fossil-fuel plant proposal in favor of renewable energy
February 1, 2019
Riverkeeper Team
Riverkeeper plays a role in turning fossil project into a renewable one.
ULSTER, NY — A revised plan for a proposed fossil fuel energy plant to a battery-only system has been submitted to the Town of Ulster by GlidePath Power Solutions, and it eliminates fossil fuels and moves the proposed site further from homes in the area. The energy company submitted the new plan to address many of the concerns voiced by environmental groups and the local community.
The controversial proposed power plant will be re-sited and re-born as a renewable energy project that “eliminates all fossil fuel generators that were initially proposed in 2017 as part of a hybrid design, and will instead use a battery-only system to provide 20 megawatts (MW) of energy storage to support the electric grid in Ulster County and the surrounding region” thanks to a partnership among many community groups and local governments including Riverkeeper.
Led by KingstonCitizens.org they also include TownOfUlsterCitizens.org, Scenic Hudson, Citizens For Local Power, CAPP-NY, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Food and Water Watch, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Kingston Land Trust, Riverkeeper, Sierra Club of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Sustainable Hudson Valley and the Woodstock Land Conservancy. The coalition helped to guide the public through each step of the State Environmental Review Process (SEQR) throughout Glidepath’s Lincoln Park gas-fired power plant proposed in the Town of Ulster.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to our group of dedicated coalition partners for their collaborative efforts to transform a fossil fuel project into a renewable one.” said Rebecca Martin, who is Lead Organizer of KingstonCitizens.org and Project Coordinator for Riverkeeper’s Water Quality Program. “They worked tirelessly to provide support to not only the public but also our elected and appointed officials for the past 16 months. The innovative and forward thinking approach advocated by our elected officials will benefit the Town of Ulster and County for years to come and, more broadly, communities across New York State who can implement similar localized collaborative efforts.”
“Thanks to the work of dedicated community members, community groups, and environmental organizations GlidePath understands that Ulster County, and New York State need a renewable energy future now.” saidJessica Roff, Director of Advocacy and Engagement at Riverkeeper. “We’re encouraged that GlidePath is withdrawing its fossil fuel project, in favor of a renewable energy and battery storage proposal. We look forward to seeing the details and ensuring that any new project does not exacerbate climate change, or threaten public health or the Hudson River.”
[Glidepath's revised proposal can be found at this link.]
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