Yesterday, Town of Copake officials issued the following statement regarding their June 17th meeting with Hecate Energy executives. Sensible Solar for Rural New York remains concerned and disappointed that Hecate Energy continues to be tone deaf to our community's shared opposition to its proposed Shepherd's Run solar facility.
COPAKE, N.Y. (June 18, 2021) – At the request of Hecate Energy, Copake Supervisor Jeanne E. Mettler and Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf met yesterday, June 17, with three representatives of the Chicago-based solar developer, including Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, David C Wilhelm; Senior Vice President of Environmental and Permitting, Diane Sullivan and local project manager of Shepherd’s Run, Alex Campbell.
The meeting with Hecate Energy was agreed to after Campbell indicated that the group would come bearing good news for Copake
“It certainly felt like a positive sign that a member of Hecate Energy’s executive leadership team was making the trip to Copake to meet with us,” said Supervisor Mettler. “Unfortunately, Wilhelm and his colleagues came without any new plans, designs, ideas or considerations on how Hecate Energy plans to reduce the impact of its proposed massive industrial solar project on rural Copake and Columbia County.”
“We tried to impress upon Hecate Energy’s representatives how devastating their project would be to our rural community as it is currently sited, scaled and designed”, added Supervisor Mettler. “It is not just the impact on the beauty and character of our community – which Hecate continues to trivialize. It’s also the adverse impact on Copake’s protected natural resources, farmland, wildlife habitat, property values and economy. In fact, tourism and agriculture are the backbone of Copake and Columbia County’s economy.
Supervisor Mettler and Deputy Supervisor Wolf both made clear that they appreciated the visit from Hecate Energy, but remain disappointed. “It was good that David Wilhelm and Diane Sullivan came to listen, and we gave them an earful,” said Wolf. “We just hope that they actually heard us, and more importantly, will rethink the project.”
Supervisor Mettler insisted that it was the responsibility of the developer to come to the Town with real and responsive solutions, not the other way around. “Hecate Energy’s representatives indicated that they will think about what we said and get back to us,” Mettler said. “And we’ll be here, waiting.”
Prior to the June 17 meeting, the parties agreed that it would not constitute the meeting with the Chief Executive of the Town which is required pursuant to Executive Law 94-c. While Hecate has offered to have such a meeting, the developer has continued to refuse the Town’s requests for necessary information and data which would enable the Town to fully participate in the meeting.