Search Results for: Paper Street

Willow Street Again

Willow Street Again   Crossgates Follies The Government Plays Catch-Up By Daniel Van Riper Yerbury Flip-Flops Guilderland Supervisor Jerry Yerbury, who is up for re-election this November, has publically turned against the ravenous Pyramid Corporation and their plan to double the size of Crossgates Maul. Yerbury was quoted in the Daily Gazette as saying on Feb. 3rd, “I am personally opposed to the further expansion of Crossgates and I promise the residents of Guilderland that as long as I am…

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Schenectady Pine Bush sees Preservation boost

SCHENECTADY — The Woodlawn Preserve is getting closer and closer to full protection. After years of negotiations, the City Council finally adopted a management plan for the preserve last week. The plan will help keep the remnants of Pine Bush ecology that remain in the badly deteriorated preserve, and lays out the steps to restore the flora and fauna that are trademarks of the area. Even if the city had the money to begin full restoration immediately, it would still take years…

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Schenectady Pine Bush sees Preservation boost

SCHENECTADY — The Woodlawn Preserve is getting closer and closer to full protection. After years of negotiations, the City Council finally adopted a management plan for the preserve last week. The plan will help keep the remnants of Pine Bush ecology that remain in the badly deteriorated preserve, and lays out the steps to restore the flora and fauna that are trademarks of the area. Even if the city had the money to begin full restoration immediately, it would still take years…

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Schenectady Pine Bush sees Preservation boost

SCHENECTADY — The Woodlawn Preserve is getting closer and closer to full protection. After years of negotiations, the City Council finally adopted a management plan for the preserve last week. The plan will help keep the remnants of Pine Bush ecology that remain in the badly deteriorated preserve, and lays out the steps to restore the flora and fauna that are trademarks of the area. Even if the city had the money to begin full restoration immediately, it would still…

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Ward Stone — NYS Wildlife Pathologist Worked for the People

Editor’s Note: Ward Stone died on February 8, 2023 at the age of 84. Ward Stone was a friend of Save the Pine Bush and often spoke at SPB vegetarian lasagna dinners. Here are two letters which describe Ward. The first letter was written by long-time friend, Lewis Oliver and sent to many media outlets, but, never published. The second letter from Tom Ellis was published in the Altamont Enterprise. Dear Mr. Seiler: The front-page article about the death of…

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The Damaging Health Effects of the Dunn Dump

by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: David Carpenter, a renowned local physician who studies the human health impacts of toxic materials, spoke at a December 2nd East Greenbush Town Board (EGTB) forum on the Dunn dump. He was the first presenter on a five-person panel. The Dunn construction and demolition debris dump, owned by Waste Connections, sits atop a hill next to the Rensselaer public school campus and the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, and in between Rensselaer and East Greenbush neighborhoods. Odors…

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What Really Happens to the Dunn Dump Complaints?

by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: The Rensselaer Environmental Coalition continues its four-year-campaign to immediately close the construction and demolition debris dump in Rensselaer while dealing with an unresponsive state government. Residents of Rensselaer and East Greenbush (R&EG) remain disgusted with how the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) takes odor and other complaints about the dump. DEC set up a system where people dial a DEC-supplied telephone number that is answered by Dunn Waste Connections — the owners of the…

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Truck Traffic in Rensselaer: Update

by Christine Kielb Tom Ellis and Christine Kielb of Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR), a group of Rensselaer residents and their allies, are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through city neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition (C&D) landfill. This landfill operation, larger than the Colonie and Albany landfills combined, is expected to continue for many years, possibly until 2036, unless successfully challenged. The problem began in 2012 when the NYS Department of…

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Letters to Save the Pine Bush

Letters to Save the Pine Bush   Letters to Save the Pine Bush Here is a sampling of letters written to Save the Pine Bush and some responses written by Lynne Jackson: From: rngeorge@gw.dec.state.ny.us (Richard Georgeson) To: pinebush@aol.com To Lynne Jackson:   Lynne – In your history of Save the Pine Bush section of your web page, you incorrectly state, “In September of 1978, there were no environmental laws in effect in New York State.”   However, in 1978 there…

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Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor

Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor A sense of humor is essential to surviving the rigors of being an activist and fighting one of the oldest political machines in the U.S. Have you ever heard of the Ladies Against Women? I understand the group was formed to follow Phyllis Schaffly around at her speeches and ask her for her cookie and cake recipes. They have a way of poking fun at just…

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Save the Pine Bush Raises Money

Save the Pine Bush Raises Money Save the Pine Bush Raises Money If you asked me what my least favorite activity is, I would say "fund-raising". Its no fun. But, we have discovered that our work to preserve the Pine Bush costs money. And because a lot of people believe as we do, we have raised far more money than I ever expected. SPB has no full-time, salaried staff. We are all volunteers, and have been known to put thousands…

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The Two Month Debate – Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip

The Two Month Debate – Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip The Two Month Debate Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip By Daniel Van Riper Part 1: The Challenger State Assemblyman and Albany mayoral candidate Jack McEneny found himself being interviewed by the editors of the local media outlet for the Hearst Corporation, the Times Union. After the usual questions they asked him, "How do you get along with the business community?" " Well," said McEneny, "I have a number…

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Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Begins an Updated Plan for Pine Bush Preservation Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Begins an Updated Plan for Pine Bush Preservation Colonie, NY &emdash; The Town of Colonie Community Center was the site of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission’s Scoping Session Hearing on the Commission’s updated plan for Pine Bush Preservation. By law, the Commission must update its management plan every five years. The first step in the process is a “scoping session” where…

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New Light on an Old Road

New Light on an Old Road New Light on an Old Road by John Wolcott Save the Pine Bush board member John Wolcott has discovered evidence of a forgotten foot path through the Pine Bush that in the 1600’s and 1700’s ran parallel to the main Albany-Schenectady Road, the Maquas Padt. Here is Part 1 of a two-part article on what John found. "A Map of the Lines Run Pursant to the Direction of the arbitrators, as Claimed by the…

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Save the Pine Bush

Proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush     Hotel Update: Oral Arguements in the NY Court of Appeals Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 The Court of Appeals is next door to Albany City Hall. This is an extremely significant case, and could, if we win change who has standing in SEQRA cases. Click here to read Amicus briefs Read attorney Steve Downs’ commentary about the hotel case here. Action Alert! Hear the Oral Arguments in the NYS Appellate Division Friday,…

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Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland?

Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland? Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland? Guest Article By Jamie and Mary Malcolm While Save the Pine Bush (SPB) is hard at work preserving any remaining Pine Bush in the Town of Guilderland, a series of projects including a new YMCA facility, are threatening to take protected land from the Preserve for the mere purposes of aligning driveways and easing traffic congestion. To propose further development in this area as a means to solve…

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Save the Pine Bush Forces Developer to Remove Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve   Save the Pine Bush Forces Developer to Remove Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve by Lynne Jackson In a victory for the Pine Bush, the developer of a luxury housing sub-division along the border of Guilderland and Albany has been compelled to remove illegally placed water lines from state-owned Pine Bush Preserve. Lewis B. Oliver, Jr., attorney for Save the Pine Bush, had received notice…

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Judge Cobb Grants Injunction

Judge Cobb Grants Injunction Judge Cobb Grants Injunction State Defends Pine Bush ALBANY, NY &emdash; Justice George L. Cobb granted a preliminary injunction January 23 on construction of a six-unit housing subdivision in the Pine Bush in State Supreme Court today. He also granted a request for 60 additional days for the State to respond. Save the Pine Bush, represented by Lewis B. Oliver, Jr., brought suit against the Albany Pine Bush Management Commission, the Town of Guilderland, New York…

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Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Draft Environmental Impact Statement DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for Avila House Independent Senior Campus Lead Agency:   City of Albany Planning Board 21 Lodge Street, Albany, New York 12207 Contact: Nicholas Dilello (518) 434-2532 ext. 28   Project Sponsor:   First Colun1bia, LLC 26 Century Hill Drive Latham, New York 12110-2128, (518) 213-1000   Report Contributors:   Hershberg and Hershberg 40 Colvin Avenue Albany, New York 12206 Responsible for "Pine Bush" Contact: Daniel Hershherg (518) 459-3096 Transportation Concepts, LLP 152…

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Man charged in bird-killing Albany

DINA CAPPIELLO Staff writer State Route 155 — a k a New Karner Road — may not be as aptly named as you might think. The four-mile-long thoroughfare — which cuts through the heart of the 2,700-plus-acre Pine Bush Preserve — disrupts the movement of Karner blue butterflies crossing the road to mate with others, according to a new study by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission. Genetic variety is essential to sustain limited populations in fragmented habitats like Pine…

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16-09 Sept-Oct Newsletter

16-09 Sept-Oct Newsletter Sept/Oct 16 No. 132 • 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12210 • email pinebush@mac.com • phone 518-462-0891 • web http://www.savethepinebush.org • Circ. 600 Vegetarian/Vegan Dinner Wednesday, September 21, 2016, 6:00 p.m. Climate Crisis and Practical Solutions Conor Bambrick Air & Energy Director, Environmental Advocates of NY will speak about NY Renews and practical solutions for transition to clean energy Mark Schaeffer who works with 350.org will speak about Overview of climate crisis and need for a political…

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Save the Pine Bush

by John Wolcott The next piece in the puzzle of “Where is Trader’s Hill?” is an amazing very old parchment map in the Albany City Engineer’s collection. It is the only map known to show Margriets Bergh, and was drawn in January 1773 by Jeremiah Van Rensselaer from a survey done by himself in 1772. This survey and map were ordered by the City in an effort to correct a series of mistakes in a former survey of it’s bounds….

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Save the Pine Bush Goes to the Appellate Division Over Butterflies in Clifton Park

On February 15, oral argument was held in the appeal by Save the Pine Bush and 11 people who sued the Town of Clifton Park Planning Board in September 2006 after the board gave approval to seven industrial warehouses and hundreds of parking spaces adjacent to and in Karner blue butterfly habitat. The plaintiffs were all denied standing by Acting state Supreme Court Justice, Barry Kramer who granted the Town’s and developer’s motions to dismiss the case in November 2006….

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Charette a Charade

by Lynne Jackson SCHENECTADY: Volunteers for Save the Pine Bush (SPB) were invited by the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) to participate in a charette regarding eliminating the at-grade crossings at Morris and Cordell Roads in Colonie. The stated goal of the charette was to come up with ideas to allow safe passage of high-speed trains through the Pine Bush by eliminating the dangerous at-grade crossings. Volunteers for SPB were told over and over that DOT had no…

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Crossgates is a Bad Neighbor

by Lynne Jackson OK, Crossgates has been in the news a lot recently. Actually, they made it into the international news. Save the Pine Bush has received emails from out raged people as far away as Sydney Australia, and California. People are mad. To recap: On Monday evening, March 3, Stephen Downs and his son Roger, were stopped by a security guard at Crossgates Maul. They were wearing T-shirts which they had just purchased at the mall. Stephen’s T-shirt said…

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Avila Keeps Advertising

by John Wolcott Have you seen the ads in the newspaper for Avila House? They say, “The reasons for moving to Avila House keep piling up!” Well! The only thing piling up is their hypocrisy. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany is acting disgracefully. It is devastating what had been one of the most beautiful spots in the entire Pine Bush – a place where thousands of butterflies once lived. And to top it off, the logo for the Avila…

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Action Guide to Citizens

Among the steps people may wish to consider taking are: 1. File lawsuits against the city for reduced property values. Contact your own lawyer or Save the Pine Bush lawyer Peter Henner at 768-8232 or peter@peterhenner.com. 2. Speak about dump issues at meetings of the Common Council of the City of Albany.  The Common Council meets on the first and third Monday of each month (when this regularly scheduled meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting is changed to the…

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Meat Will Kill You…Just More Good News

Meat Will Kill You…Just More Good News Meat Will Kill You …Just More Good News By Daniel Van Riper Howard Lyman was a 4th generation rancher and feedlot operator from Montana. Once, he had 7000 head of cattle and 30 employees, wrote million dollar checks, and was named farmer of the year. Today he is the Director of the Eating With Conscience Campaign of the Humane Society of the United States. His job is to "travel around talking to people"…

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Honoring Lou Ismay at the April SPB Dinner

by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: “If we lose reverence for any part of life, we lose reverence for all of life,” said Save the Pine Bush member Lou Ismay at the April 17th SPB dinner at which Lou spoke about his launching the Protect Your Environment (PYE) Club at SUNY Albany fifty years ago. He said many future members of Save the Pine Bush met each other through PYE. Before Lou spoke, Lynne Jackson read proclamations honoring Lou and his…

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DEC Should Enforce the Rules

by Tom Ellis New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos responded to a March 4 Albany Times Union editorial with a letter to the editor ten days later. The editorial titled, “Weak fines, weak message,” strongly criticized the DEC’s “spotty record on cracking down on local environmental violations.” Specifically discussed were the Colonie Landfill, the Port of Coeymans, and the Dunn construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfill in Rensselaer. The editorial stated: “To be a useful compliance…

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Truck Traffic in Rensselaer: Update

by Christine Kielb Tom Ellis and Christine Kielb of Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR), a group of Rensselaer residents and their allies, are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through city neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition (C&D) landfill. This landfill operation, larger than the Colonie and Albany landfills combined, is expected to continue for many years, possibly until 2036, unless successfully challenged. The problem began in 2012 when the NYS Department of…

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Step up and Advocate for the Styrofoam Ban in Albany County!

Dear Friends & Allies, Please help get your county legislator to say “yes” to the proposed styrofoam ban law. 1. Fill out this online petition even if you’ve completed a paper or online petition before. Go to: https://sites.google.com/riverkeeper.org/albanyfoamban/home. Leave a quick comment. These are powerful! 2. CALL your Albany County legislator – the petition will show you how to find his/her contact info. This petition is being sent to you by a team of volunteers in partnership with: Riverkeeper, PAUSE,…

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The Unforeseen Consequences of Tobacco

  Most people view cigarettes as a health problem, but they are a huge environmental problem as well. The entire life cycle of a cigarette has an impact on the environment – from growing the tobacco to throwing away the butt. Tobacco Farming -Tobacco cultivation is responsible for a myriad of environmental problems, including land and water pollution due to pesticides as well as deforestation.  Tobacco plants are prone to many insect pests, and therefore tobacco farmers are forced to…

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Save the Pine Bush Turns 35 in February

by Lynne Jackson     On February 6, 2013, Save the Pine Bush will be 35. I wanted to reprint the story of our formation (the extended version can be found on the website, http://www.savethepinebush.org) Save the Pine Bush came into being on February 6, 1978. It snowed that day. It snowed so much that the offices of the New York State government closed down and stayed closed the next day. This is the only time that I remember in the…

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Words Over Lasagna – Recent Dinner Speakers

Words Over Lasagna – Recent Dinner Speakers Words Over Lasagna Recent Dinner Speakers April/May 1995 By Daniel Van Riper We’ve had some excellent presentations at our monthly lasagna dinners at First Presbyterian Church in Albany over the past five months. All were well attended. Here’s a roundup: November 94 – Dr. George Robinson of the SUNY Albany biology department talked about plant and animal surveys in NY State. "I am interested," he told the crowd, "in preserving biodiversity and keeping…

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The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth

The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth June/July 1995 By Daniel Van Riper Like it or not, Pine Bush preservation has become one of the major defining issues in the Capital District. Perhaps this is because it is a black and white issue. Are we in favor of maintaining and enhancing our quality of life, or should we close our eyes and let corrupt politicians give our…

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Developer to Remove $50,000 Water Lines from the Preserve Developer to Remove $50,000 Water Lines Press Releases Press Conference on Monday, August 10 at 10:00 AM Save the Pine Bush Forces Developer to Remove Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve Land For Immediate Release: August 7, 1998 For Further Information: Please Contact: Lewis Oliver at 463-7962 or Lynne Jackson at 434-1954   PRESS CONFERENCE & PHOTO OPPORTUNITY Developer to Remove $50,000 Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve on Monday, August…

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New York State Historic Archaeological Site Inventory Form

New York State Historic Archaeological Site Inventory Form Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation   Donate Contact   New York State Historic Archaeological Site Inventory Form NYS OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION & HISTORIC PRESERVATION (518) 237-8643 For Office Use Only–Site Identifier Project Identifier USN A09303.000240 Your Name Louise Basa and John Wolcott Date September 1, 2006 Address Basa: 1220 Waverly Place, Schenectady, New…

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7 p.m. Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation   Donate Contact     Niskayuna Spotlight Newspaper, A weekly distributed free to over 4,000 homes in Town of Niskayuna NISKAYUNA: Residents seek moratorium Posted on: 02/16/07 Written by: Jessica Harding, Schenectady County Reporter email: hardingj@spotlightnews.com The Niskayuna Town Board did not make any decision on the Ingersoll Home or…

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Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming!

Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming! Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation   Donate Contact   Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming! Well, one man is representing the Captain Richard Duncan Company. Background: In the 1777 and 1783, Captain Richard Duncan commanded a company in the 1st Battalion of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, under Sir John Johnson. Richard…

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Waste to Energy Seems Like A Good Idea, But Is It Good For The Environment?

Jim Travers, a resident of Coeymans, NY, attended the February 15 Save the Pine Bush dinner and heard Jack Lauber speak about Waste-to-Energy. These are Jim Travers’ comments. – Ed Please forward this email to all those on the Save The Pine Bush mail list. Feedback is welcomed. Thanks. Jim Travers I do not think incineration of garbage is healthy for anyone or our environment, whether it is used to create electricity or only to eliminate a portion of the…

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Save the Pine Bush Brief History and Summary

by Lynne Jackson Save the Pine Bush came into being on February 6, 1978. It snowed that day. It snowed so much that the offices of the New York State government closed down and stayed closed the next day. This is the only time in the 20 years that I have lived in Albany that the State closed its offices due to the weather. I was able to ski to work in downtown Albany. On that day, the Albany City…

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Fighting the Crossgates Expansion

Dear All, The proposed apartment complex on Rapp Road in Guilderland is back.  Pyramid sold the 19 acre parcel to a local developer.  This new developer has proposed some modifications to the project.  The new name for the project is Apex at Crossgates. The area where the proposed apartment complex is to be built is recommended for partial protection by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission. The public hearing: Wednesday, July 13 at 7:00 PMGuilderland Town Hall5209 Western TpkGuilderland, NY…

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Newsletters Articles Ordered by Subject

Search Newsletter Archives: What is Full Protection, Partial Protection and who is the Pine Bush? – By Lynne Jackson – June / July 2022 Newsletter A Tribute To Lew Oliver, our wonderful lawyer The Pine Bush’s Most Famous Resident – The Karner Blue Butterfly Save the Pine Bush Victories and Fights The Thruway Authority Comes Across Royally, Dec 99/Jan 00Save the Pine Bush is 25!, Mar/Apr 03 Legislation regarding standing in court We Need the Environmental Access to Justice Act,…

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Friends of Stanford Home

Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Friends of Stanford Home 2421 Troy Road, Niskayuna, New York 12309-1403 Email: LMCwrite@nycap.rr.com Phones: Grace Hilt Mack 518-377-5935; Sally Lester: 518-372-7196 Linda Champagne 518-346-8316 Support the Friends of Stanford Home by making a donation today Residents seek moratorium, published February 16 in the Niskayuna Spotlight Newspaper Announcement! View the Hearing: The hearing will be cable…

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