ALBANY: Roland Kays, PhD., Curator of Mammals of the New York State Museum, spoke at the May Save the Pine Bush vegetarian/vegan lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church about coyotes and fishers. He began with a photo of the snout from one of the last wolves captured in the northeast. Dr. Kays remarked on … New York State’s Most Successful Predators – Coyotes & Fishers
by William Engleman CLIFTON PARK: Representatives of three area environmental organizations and Town residents called on the Clifton Park Town Board to save the Karner Blue butterfly populations in the Town’s northeast corner, during the Town Board’s first regular meeting of the year, held on Monday evening January 3, 2005. Eight speakers, including representatives from … Taking Lyme Fight to the Field
Protest the RNC Protest the Republican National Convention On Sunday, August 29, I went with 275 other Capital District residents to the United for Peace and Justice protest of the Republican National Convention. These are the photos that I took. The protest was peaceful. What were we protesting? We were protesting George W. Bush’s war … 4
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: A panel that included Albany County legislator Merton Simpson spoke in opposition to the proposed Sheridan Hollow Microgrid Fossil Fuel Plant at the October 18 Save the Pine Bush dinner. About 45 attended. Also speaking were engineer Keith Schue and environmental health advocate, Rita Ogburn-McCall. Sandy Steubing moderated the discussion. … SHARE Opposes the Microgrid Fossil Fuel Plant in Sheridan Hollow
By Hugh Johnson ON THE INTERNET: Lynne Jackson invited me to give a ZOOM talk about the status of our climate change at the February 17, 2021, “Save the Pine Bush Meeting.” In this winter of COVID, it was easy to forget we are still in a climate crisis. Look what happened in Texas during … Are the Winds of Change Finally Here?
by Lynne Jackson We have made an annual pilgrimage to the Butterfly Station at Farnsworth Middle School for nine summers now and every year we learn something new. This year, we learned about the value of perseverance and broad purpose. We were greeted by a knowledgeable tour guide, 11-year-old Crystal Choi, who, like a score … Town of Clifton Park Ignores Pleas for Butterflies
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: Resa Dimino, Special Assistant in the DEC Commissioner’s Policy Office spoke about Solid Waste Management Planning at the July SPB dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. Resa Dimino is leading the effort to develop a new State Solid Waste Management Plan in New York State. Her talk focused on the planning … The Solution to the Garbage Problem
A recent date to speak about Nabokov’s blues in Albany, New York — the state’s capital — afforded me a chance to visit what is left of old “Karner”, New York. Karner is the little hamlet that, in common parlance, has attached its name to Nabokov’s famous endangered species Lycaeides melissa samuelis, the “Karner … A Journey to Nabokov’s Karner, New York – a Conservation Dilemma
Vote Primary Day – Tuesday, September 15, Noon to 9:00 pm ALBANY: Six candidates for Albany City-wide races came to speak at the August Save the Pine Bush dinner. Four city-wide seats are up this year (as well as the entire Common Council). Running for Mayor – Corey Ellis; for treasurer – Kathy Sheehan; … Save the Pine Bush
Summarized by Grace Nichols ALBANY: At the May Save the Pine Bush lasgana dinner at the First Presbyterian Church, NY State Wildlife Pathologist Ward Stone gave a talk summarizing our recent discoveries of pesticide use in the Pine Bush by both the City of Albany at the Rapp Road Landfill and Pine Bush Police and … Save the Pine Bush
On Saturday, September 29, I participated in Save the Pine Bush’s first ever bicycle ride to the Pine Bush, led expertly by Steve Redler. The two of us rode on this glorious morning to the Pine Bush. It took us about an hour to leisurely pedal to the Discovery Center on back roads. I was … The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center
Monarch Butterfly Conservation Crisis Monarch Butterfly Conservation Crisis On September 12, 2000, The New York Times published an urgent warning by noted Monarch butterfly expert Dr. Lincoln P. Brower, and other scientists and conservationists, describing a crisis situation at the Monarch butterfly’s overwintering grounds in central Mexico (The New York Times, Science Times, p. 1). … Monarch Butterfly Conservation Crisis
by Rezsin Adams ALBANY: The April vegetarian lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church was the location for our annual round-up of the state of the environment. Speakers from five organizations told us what was happening: Judy Enck, Attorney-General Eliot Spitzer’s Office. The Attorney-General has initiated numerous court cases to save the Clean Air Act from … The Environmental Picture of the Capital District
Washington – 01-27-07 Washington – January 27, 2007 I asked my friend’s daughter, Anne, to go to the United for Peace and Justice March on Washington. We were too late to get a seat on a bus from Albany, so, we took the 6:00 AM Amtrak to Washington DC. The train was wonderful, we arrived … 4
There’s a solution to Albany’s garbage problem — the same one for the better part of the last 20 years — but most city officials don’t want to hear it, and despite a few protestations, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has remained sympathetic. The reason is money, which is understandable as far as the … Editorial: End excuses for Albany landfill
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 … Willow Street Again
City Strangles Downtown Growth City Strangles Downtown Growth Yet Council Encourages Suburban Sprawl By Daniel Van Riper As far as Save the Pine Bush can determine, the City of Albany Common Council has not denied a single application by any large corporate entity that has wanted to erect buildings in the Pine Bush for more … City Strangles Downtown Growth
ALBANY, NY: Paul Tick and Tina Lieberman spoke at the January 15, 2020 SPB dinner about plans by Lafarge to burn tire at its cement factory in Ravena, twelve miles south of Albany. Paul began his comments with saying that when he moved to the capital region 32 years ago, he immediately looked for activists … Burn Tires vs. Clean Air
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY, NY: The July SPB veggie lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church was a forum for a bevy of politicians. Everyone came out to support Pine Bush preservation, a welcome change from previous elections. Candidates from Albany, most facing primaries in September attended as well as Ken Runion, candidate for Guilderland … 9
Exploring Bus Service to the Pine Bush Exploring Bus Service to the Pine Bush by John Wolcott One can reach the Pine Bush from Albany by bus. However, it is, at one point, difficult and unsafe. At another point, it is awkward, and, as yet, uncertain. A couple of weeks ago, I tested part of … Exploring Bus Service to the Pine Bush
by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER: More than fifteen area residents met in early November to discuss the proposed Rensselaer Engineered Fuels (REF) facility that has been proposed for the old BASF industrial site just south of downtown Rensselaer. We exchanged information and developed a plan of action. One, who lives a few blocks from the proposed … Solid Waste Transfer Facility Proposed on the Banks of the Hudson
Compiled by Tim Truscott Letter: Pine Bush Preserve remains a folly To the editor, Sunday, September 2, 2018 The extension of the lifespan of the Rapp Road landfill is welcome news for Albany taxpayers. It’s unimaginable what the cost of getting rid of our waste will be when we have to close that landfill. I … Letters to the Editor of the Times Union
The City of Albany is about to hold its first ever Zero Waste Festival! Albany’s Riverfront Jazz Festival is slated to celebrate its 17th anniversary on Saturday, September 8th from 1-9 pm at Jennings Landing. For the first time this festival will bring its attendees more than great music, Hudson River views and evening fireworks – … Zero Waste Jazzes Up the City of Albany
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Tina Lieberman and Susan Lawrence spoke at the June 20 SPB dinner about the power and potential of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA). Tina is a member of the Energy Subcommittee of the Albany City Sustainability Advisory Committee. Susan is on the Executive Committees of both the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter … The Potential of Community Choice Aggregation
by Diana Wright On March 28, Albany and Saratoga Counties unveiled plans for a jointly funded aerobic digester facility in Menands. It has bi-partisan support in the Albany County Legislature and will save each county $1 million annually. It will shut down 4 incinerators at the current facility, which spew out toxic chemicals into the … Anerobic digester and the Albany Landfill
by Tom Ellis ALBANY. NY: There is much to report on issues regarding solid wastes. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC or En Con)) DEC held a public hearing in Albany to receive comments on proposed revisions to its Part 360 regulations, DEC is assisting the Town of Colonie with its landfill expansion application,” … Solid Waste Issues in the City of Albany, the Town of Colonie and the Proposed Changes in the NYS Solid Waste Regulations
by Diana Wright Given the plight of the Albany City Landfill and the dismaying information gathered at the 3 forums held by the City last month, PAUSE would like to form a committee to address the landfill dilemma looming over us. We had a preliminary meeting on July 6 to see what kind of interest … Landfill Committee forming
by Tom Ellis Listen to the audio of the presentation here. Albany, NY: Recently retired National Weather Service (NWS) meteorological forecaster Hugh Johnson was the speaker at the April 19 SPB dinner. His talk was titled Is the Earth Running a Fever? and he spoke about climate change and the NWS. He said, “Anything’s possible … Is the Earth Running a Fever?
by Tom Ellis Albany, NY: Kim Fraczek, Co-Director of the Sane Energy Project spoke on “Gas Infrastructure — The Big Picture” at the January 18 SPB dinner. She is very enthusiastic opinionated, and optimistic about blocking construction of many of the proposed natural gas pipelines in New York. She displayed an interactive, online map of … Kim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping PipelinesKim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping Pipeliness
by Lynne Jackson Albany, NY: Chris Hawver, Executive Director of the Albany Pine Bush Management Commission, spoke at our February 2017 Save the Pine Bush dinner. Chris began his presentation with a really sweet tribute to Rezsin Adams. Chris said that when he first started with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve commission that he was … There would be no Pine Bush Today without Save the Pine Bush and Rezsin Adams
NEW SCOTLAND — A man of principle and passion, Peter Henner worked for causes he believed in with the same logic and commitment he used when playing chess. He tackled his legal work as he tackled mountains on climbs with his wife — with a sense of adventure. “He always told everything straight,” said Nancy … Peter Henner
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Julien Bouget of Sun Edison was the speaker at the June 15 SPB dinner. Mr. Bouget has been in the wind business since 1999. He was born in France. He was introduced by Tim Truscott. Tim told me later that Mr. Bouget studied physics in college. Mr. Bouget said … Wind Energy
by Tim Truscott The month of June turned out to have some news related to the City of Albany’s solid waste disposal plans. It became known that the Mayor had created a Solid Waste Planning Committee which included her office, the landfill manager (Joe Giebelhaus), the Recycling Director (Frank Zeoli), a couple of the … Albany Solid Waste Problem Still Not Addressed Openly
by Tim Truscott There has been plenty of energy pipeline news in the Capital Region of New York during the month of April. Here is some of it: Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline “Suspended” On April 20, Kinder Morgan, the developer for the Northeast Energy Direct (NED) 30-inch diameter natural gas pipeline, announced it was … Dan McCoy Speaks at Save the Pine Bush
By Brian Nearing — Published in the Times Union, Saturday, June 27, 2015 It’s a long way from a sea of natural gas wells scattered through Pennsylvania’s Bradford County to Libby Reilly’s organic farm off Clarks Chapel Road in Nassau. And it is even longer from her farm, where about two dozen beef cows … Crossing paths: Area farmers fear risks from 2 gas pipeline proposals
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 … The Unforeseen Consequences of Tobacco
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Kate Lawrence of the Mayor’s Office of Energy and Sustainability was the speaker at the March 18 SPB dinner. She said former Mayor Gerald Jennings launched the sustainability office in 2011; he signed a national green jobs pledge in 2008, the bicycle master plan was completed in 2009, and … City of Albany Office of Energy and Sustainability Visits Save the Pine Bush
By Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Former Albany First Ward Common Council member Dominick Calsolaro spoke at the June 18 SPB dinner about Environmental Issues in Albany. He began thanking SPB President Rezsin Adams for her many years of friendship. During the US-Vietnam War, he said, Rezsin often came into his family’s restaurant. Dominick spoke about the … Public Advocate Dominick Calsolaro
By Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Michael McLaughlin, the Director of Research for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, was the SPB dinner speaker on May 21, filling in for McCoy who was attending the convention of the NYS Democratic Party. He said he is involved in many of McCoy’s policies. Mr. McLaughlin said the Polystyrene ban signed by … Michael McLaughlin, Director of Research for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy Speaks to SPB
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Laura Haight of NYPIRG and Katherine Nadeau of Environmental Advocates shared the podium at the April 16 SPB dinner. They discussed the 2014 agenda they are lobbying at the state Capitol and the state energy plan. Laura said the annual statewide Earth Day Lobby Day will be on May 5 … Earth Day Update from NYPIRG and EA
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Conservation Director Roger Downs spoke at the October 16 Save the Pine Bush dinner about where Governor Cuomo may be heading with his fracking policies. Roger said NYS has been in “fracking limbo” since February with no established deadlines as of now. He said natural gas prices are … Roger Downs: The State of Fracking
By Andy Arthur and Grace Nichols We went to Albany Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Meeting on Feb. 27, 2013 to comment on the proposed extension of the 1 Rapp Road, which is at the corner of South Frontage Road and Rapp Road. The proposal would add a one floor expansion on to the back … 1 Rapp Road, Extension Development
by Tim Truscott On April 25, the Bethlehem Town Board heard a proposal by a Kentucky-based firm called RST Technologies to develop a trash disposal facility in Glenmont on the tract of land along Route 144 between the Normans Kill and the PSEG electric generating facility. This site was formerly a dump for coal … Waste-to-Energy Plant for Bethlehem?
by Grace Nichols For the past several years, Save the Pine Bush has warned the Common Council that buying and spreading more glyphosate (the active ingredient of Roundup) in the Pine Bush, either in the Preserve or on the Restoration is hazardous for the rare spadefoot toads and other amphibians. We’ve asked them to question … Guess what: Study finds herbicides are bad for amphibians
by Grace Nichols ALBANY: Steven Leibo, Phd, a Sage Colleges Professor of International History and Politics, as well as an International Affairs Commentator on WAMC Northeast Public Radio, came to speak to us about the Climate Change crisis. Dr. Leibo has been a constant presence on the academic and environmental scene in the Capital … Run Away Climate:
Albany, NY: Recently, a friend out in Rensselaer County grabbed my arm and said “don’t you dare release your rehabilitated (orphan) rabbits out here—The Fisher will get them!” She went on to describe an animal so mean and vicious that no other mammal would be safe around them. And so, though I haven’t ever met … Fishers in the Pine Bush! May 2011 Pine Bush Dinner with Scott LaPoint
ALBANY, NY -At the April 20 dinner, speakers from four different organizations addressed a cause that united them: keeping hydrofracking out of New York State. Roger Downs represented the Sierra Club, a membership grass roots organization. He said that he has never seen a movement attract so many people. For example, at a rally last … No Frack-ing Way
by Tom Ellis, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition Save the Pine Bush and friends won a partial victory in late February when Clough Harbour & Associates (CHA) revised the preliminary draft solid waste management plan it had issued in mid-December on behalf of a “steering committee” appointed by Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings. CHA faced considerable pressure from … Zero Waste or Waste Authority?
Prayer Prayer Breakfast May 11, 2004 On Tuesday, May 11 at 7:00 AM, people gathered to listen to Rev. Sam Trumbore of the First Unitarian Universalist Church read a prayer outside the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. View photos of the protest. This is his prayer: Protest Prayer Before a Bush/Pataki Prayer Breakfast Blessed God … Prayer
Rezsin Adams was given the boot at WRPI. Ridiculous. Read this article printed in Metroland.net about Rezsin on Thursday, October 4, 2007: Are you angry that WRPI gave Rezsin the boot? Call them at 518-276-6248 or email their staff at http://www.wrpi.org/staff.php Signed Off WRPI gives another community member the boot Reszin Adams had made a … Save the Pine Bush