Search Results for: Tom Ellis

Solid Waste Transfer Facility Proposed on the Banks of the Hudson

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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 facility, said he had gone door to door and there is much opposition to the project. This gathering of activists occurred due to concerns about…

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Truck Traffic in Rensselaer: Update

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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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The Islands of Radix Center

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Scott Kellogg and Justina Thompson spoke at the September 19th SPB dinner. Scott is the executive director of the Radix Center at 153 Grand Street in the South End of Albany. Justina is a 19-year-old student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in sustainability studies. Both are highly enthusiastic about their work and are accomplished experts in environmental education. Before they began, Grace Nichols spoke briefly saying insect populations are rapidly declining for multiple reasons. These…

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The Potential of Community Choice Aggregation

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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 and the local Hudson Mohawk Group. Tina said CCA is similar to Sam’s Club and other bulk purchasing discount clubs with electricity the product. She…

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Residents Object to Polluting Trucks

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by Tom Ellis Rensselaer City residents began meeting last spring after enduring five years of up to 100 huge trucks per day five days a week traverse downtown streets en-route to a construction and demolition debris (C&D) dump at the east end of Partition Street. About 30 residents met September 28 at the Rensselaer public library to share information and intensify their campaign to have the trucks removed from downtown. Whether residents will demand a closure of the dump located…

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Solid Waste Issues in the City of Albany, the Town of Colonie and the Proposed Changes in the NYS Solid Waste Regulations

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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,” and the City of Albany recently held a short public comment period on its proposals to (1) mechanize the collection of household wastes and recyclables,…

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Save the Pine Bush Volunteers Win Victory for Open Records

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: For many years I have watched state agencies abuse our rights as citizens, taxpayers, residents, and interested parties in regulatory proceedings. The NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (ERDA) and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are particularly guilty of limiting public access to public information. For example, ERDA held six public hearings in February and March 2014 on the proposed long range state energy plan. I attended the first hearing in Albany but none…

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Do We Really Need to “Streamline” the Environmental Protections of SEQRA?

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: “This is an incredible threat to the effectiveness of SEQRA,” said Roger Downs, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Conservation Director, at the May 17 SPB dinner. Roger lectured on the “streamlining” of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) proposed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) which administers SEQRA. Roger began by congratulating Save the Pine Bush for having used SEQRA “probably better than most” people and groups and for “having breathed life into…

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Is the Earth Running a Fever?

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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 in weather.” This particular dinner, which followed the first-ever cancellation of a SPB dinner in March (due to a snow storm), drew more than fifty…

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Albany County Legislature Rejects Banning Polystyrene Foam

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by Tom Ellis Albany, NY: On April 12, the Albany County Legislature voted 21-16-1 to reject expanding the polystyrene foam take-out food container law enacted three years ago to include all restaurants and eateries. Legislators offered many reasons for their “no” votes, some principled and others ridiculous. A few said this law would be better enacted at the state level, some said it would hurt — even fatally –some small (mom and pop) businesses; other insisted polystyrene is safe and…

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Kim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping PipelinesKim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping Pipeliness

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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 all the gas infrastructure of New York created by Mary Finneran, and said it has now extended to include New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The map…

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Climate Change and Hell and High Water

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Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Hell and High Water: New York Responds to Climate Change was title of the talk given by Mark Lowery at the November 16 SPB dinner. Mr. Lowery is a climate policy analyst in the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Office of Climate Change (OCC). He said OCC helps NYS mitigate and adapt to climate change. Prior to his talk, he told me he could speak for many hours on this topic. Toward the end of…

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Landfill Expansion Proposal in the Town of Colonie

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Report from Tom Ellis The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) held public hearings that I attended on September 20 and October 25 on the application of the Town of Colonie to greatly enlarge its landfill located along the Mohawk River near Route 9. Dozens spoke against the proposal citing concerns about odors, aesthetics, noise, water and air pollution, regulatory compliance, truck traffic, need, alternatives, and economics, The proposed dump would overlap and expand upon the existing one and an…

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Climate Change and Arthropod-borne Diseases

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Bryon Backenson of the NYS Health Department DOH) spoke at the October 19 SPB dinner about climate change and arthropod-borne diseases. Mr. Backenson is a research scientist and Director of Investigations and Vector Surveillance Control in the DOH Bureau of Communicable Diseases Control (BCDC). He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University at Albany’s School of Public Health. Mr. Backenson is also chair of the Clifton Park…

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Bad air a problem in the South End

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The editorial “Question and answer time,” Sept. 4, regarding a late August state Senate public hearing on PFOA contamination in Rensselaer County said the central issue is “why a village of 3,500 people was drinking contaminated water for more than a year after officials first knew of the problem” and asked “what could have been done differently, and how might that understanding affect what’s done now?” The same reasoning applies to the South End of Albany, where residents have been…

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Judith Enck Meets with Ezra Prentice Residents

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: When we learned that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional administrator Judith Enck would be speaking in Albany the same evening Save the Pine Bush as the scheduled August dinner, SPB decided to cancel the dinner and hear Ms. Enck speak. On August 17, Ms. Enck, formerly of Albany, participated in a forum with the new NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) commissioner and residents of the Ezra Prentice Homes (EPH) on South Pearl…

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Wind Energy

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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 we need wind power to replace fossil fuels that spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, he said. Electricity and…

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Former Albany County Legislator Tim Nichols: Politics & Tobacco

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: Carol Waterman introduced former county legislator Timothy Nichols at the January 20 SPB dinner saying Tim sponsored a bill vetoed by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy that would have blocked pharmacies in Albany County from selling tobacco products.  Tim, who was also Chairman of the legislature’s health committee, and lost a bid for a fifth term in November, said he might have won had he “been a little more savvy” but the defeat opens new possibilities for…

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Ward Stone Speaks

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: Saying “I am very happy to be here,” Ward Stone launched into a very interesting and wide-ranging lecture at the December 16th SPB dinner.  Using deadpan humor, he said, “I spent a very environmental evening” last night watching the Republican presidential candidates.  Later he said “These Republican candidates are not good for the environment . . . We need to educate the politicians.” Ward Stone, who is 77, was the NYS Wildlife Pathologist from 1969 to 2010.  He was…

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Don Reeb — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: Retired University at Albany economics professor and McKownville Improvement Association president Don Reeb was the speaker at the November 18 SPB dinner.  Don spoke about SUNY Poly — formerly College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE): The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  Don is 82 years old.  He said the neighborhood contain 900 houses and the neighborhood association has a $300 annual budget.  He said only forty percent of registered voters in county legislature districts 3 and 4 voted in November.  He makes…

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Anaerobic Digestion and Composting of Organics

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY: Gary Feinland, environmental program specialist for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), was the speaker at the May 20 SPB dinner.  He spoke about Anaerobic Digestion and Composting of Organics.  His appearance was arranged by Tim Truscott who wrote an excellent article about this topic in the May/June Save the Pine Bush Newsletter. Prior to Tim’s introduction of Gary, I said that Albany County Controller Michael Connors delivered his annual report on the county’s finances at the…

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City of Albany Office of Energy and Sustainability Visits Save the Pine Bush

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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 the 2030 plan was completed in 2010 and approved by the Common Council in 2012. An Albany Common Council sustainability advisory committee was approved  in 2013,…

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Chris Hawver of the Commission Speaks

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY: Albany Pine Bush Management Commission (APBMC or the Commission) Executive Director Chris Hawver was the October 15 SPB dinner speaker.  Lynne Jackson and I introduced him saying that Save the Pine Bush is very pleased that the Commission exists and is protecting the Pine Bush.  Lynne said the work of SPB has become institutionalized with the APBMC. Chris said he has worked for the Commission since 1993, first as fire management coordinator, later as conservation director, and, beginning…

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Why is the Green Party challenging the Governor? Theresa Portelli Speaks to SPB

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Theresa Portelli, Green Party candidate for NYS Comptroller, spoke at the August 13 SPB dinner about Why is the Green Party challenging the Governor?  Theresa said she was born in Brooklyn and her parents came from Ireland.  She worked as a counselor at a teen jail in NYC for ten years, was elected to the Albany city school board for a term, retired three years ago, was a PEF member, and now works as a Hospice volunteer. …

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Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy Speaks about the Environment and Legislation

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Democrat Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy spoke at the September 17 SPB dinner about Environmental Issues in this Election.  Carol Waterman introduced her saying Ms. Fahy opposes casinos anywhere within her district – the 109th.  Fahy said there was much success during 2014 including an oil train safety bonding bill that passed in the Assembly but failed in the Senate despite having a Republican sponsor.  She will introduce it again in 2015.  She said the state government is very restrained in its legal…

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Public Advocate Dominick Calsolaro

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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 many issues he worked on during his 12 years on the Albany Common Council, some of which he continues working on. He said the big issue in…

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Michael McLaughlin, Director of Research for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy Speaks to SPB

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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 McCoy in December is a flawed law, the county executive is taking steps to strengthen it, McCoy wishes to extend it to all restaurants, the…

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Size of the Albany County Legislature

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Opinion by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: Would a huge reduction in the size of the Albany County Legislature be good for the county, the Pine Bush, and democracy? The Albany County Charter Review Commission (ACCRC) issued a report in January recommending a reduction from 39 to 25 members.  The proposal is touted to improve accountability, increase bi-partisanship, and save money for taxpayers.  The local chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV) has endorsed ACCRC’s proposal. ACCRC estimated the proposed shrinkage would save county taxpayers $400,000 annually — less…

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Earth Day Update from NYPIRG and EA

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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 because the Legislature decided to take most of April off.  She said five issues have been identified as most compelling.  The first is fracking.  Ms. Nadeau…

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Chris Amato Speaks About the Oil Trains

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Albany Law School graduate, former DEC Assistant Commissioner, and Earthjustice attorney Chris Amato spoke at the March 20 SPB dinner about Oil-by-Rail in Albany. Mr. Amato said the recent massive increase in North American oil-by-rail shipments impact most of NYS and he hopes to represent a broad coalition on this matter.  The North Dakota Bakken and the Alberta tar sands are different types of oil but both are an issue for Albany and New York….

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The Trans Pacific Partnership Explained by Sue DuBois

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: I do not know any local people who better understand the relationships between trade policy, jobs, immigration, the environment, and poverty than Susan DuBois and Mark Schaeffer. Thus I was very pleased when Sue agreed to speak about the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) at the January 15 Save the Pine Bush dinner and Mark attended. Sue said she first got involved in trade issues in the late 1980s. She said TPP, now being secretly negotiated…

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Don Reeb Speaks to Save the Pine Bush

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: After a rousing introduction by Carol Waterman, Don Reeb spoke at the February 19 SPB dinner about “Cities and the Environment.” Don, now 80 years young, is a retired University at Albany economics professor, was co-leader of the Stop Crossgates mall campaign, and has been President of the McKownville Improvement Association for many years.  He said he can remember the Depression well. He is one of 11 children; the family lived in a three-room apartment,…

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Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Styrofoam Ban and Protection of the Pine Bush

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by Tom Ellis On December 12, when Albany County Executive Dan McCoy signed legislation passed by the county legislature a month earlier that bans chain restaurants and eateries from using polystyrene (Styrofoam) take-out food containers, he credited his three children, especially Egan, a senior at Albany High School, for pressuring and reminding him to be more environmentally conscious. Mr. McCoy may have had other reasons for signing the legislation. It was passed by a two-to-one margin and thus the legislature…

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Roger Downs: The State of Fracking

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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 so low now, that fracking, were it to be approved, would be uneconomical.  Of late, Cuomo has been promoting tourism upstate, so it is possible he is…

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The Importance of the Tivoli Preserve

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY: George Robinson, a restoration ecologist with the University at Albany’s Department of Biological Sciences, spoke at the June 19 SPB dinner at Westminster Presbyterian Church about the history of restoration planning for the Tivoli preserve. For those unfamiliar with it, the Tivoli preserve is located north of Livingston Avenue and behind the former Philip Livingston school. The Tivoli lake (or pond) is a few hundred yards west of the former school. Also located in the Tivoli…

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Historic Rapp Road Community

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by Tom Ellis Beverly Bardequez of the historic Rapp Road Community, who spoke at the January 2012 SPB dinner about how the African-American neighborhood on Rapp Road came to be, was the featured speaker at the May 15, 2013 dinner at which she discussed the latest threats to the community. She thanked SPB “who has the Pine Bush at heart.” She said that as a child, when she lived on Pine Lane, and played where the Walmart is now, she…

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Horizontality and Consensus: Group Decision Making for a True Democracy at the

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by Tom Ellis WASHINGTON, DC: 50,000 of us marched on Washington DC on Sunday, February 17, 2013, the largest climate demonstration yet, called “Forward on the Climate.” As Reverand Yearwood, who MCed the event said “ 50 years ago was very important, right here, Dr. Martin King marched. We marched for jobs and food. We marched for Equality. ….We all came together as humanity. But guess what? This rally 50 years later is as important or more important because, as…

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Earth Day SPB Dinner

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY: As is usual, the April SPB dinner featured a variety of speakers and an Earth Day theme.  Each spoke 5-10 minutes.  Lynne Jackson introduced them and said the people who began Save the Pine Bush met at SUNYA (now the University at Albany) in the 1970s. Saima Anjam of Environmental Advocates (EA) discussed the legislative agenda for the April 23rd statewide Earth Day Lobby Day.  One bill is the Child Safe Products Act that would allow for the banning of whole classes…

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Lyme Disease: A Growing Epidemic

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: Holly Ahern, an Associate Professor of Microbiology at SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury, was the guest speaker at the August 29 SPB dinner. She discussed Lyme Disease: A Growing Epidemic. Ms. Ahern began saying the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the NYS Health Department (DOH) have a definition of Lyme disease – you see a tick and get a rash – that differs from the “other’ more common form of the disease. With…

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Coeymens Debates Importing Garbage

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by Tom Ellis   In 2005, SPB joined forces with the Citizens Environmental Coalition (CEC) and Selkirk-Ravena-Coeymans Against Pollution (SCRAP)  to successfully block the siting of a large regional landfill by the city of Albany on a 363-acre parcel Albany now owns in the town of Coeymans (ten miles south of Albany).  Now a new struggle is unfolding.  Coeymans has a law that bans solid waste imports into the town; it was enacted in 1995 after it became clear the city of Albany was serious in…

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Ward Stone is a Hero

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY, NY: In late February, the NYS Inspector General released a 40+ page report trashing Ward Stone, accusing him of bullying his subordinates, intimidating his supervisors, misusing state funds, and being some sort of a monster.  The report drew considerable news coverage including a February 28 article in the New York Times.  Some of the allegations are undoubtedly true, at least in part, but the report is overkill and hopefully the public views it as such.  The report…

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Neil Gifford of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Speaks

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY: Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Conservation Director Neil A. Gifford was the featured speaker at the March 22 SPB dinner.  Reszin Adams introduced him.    Mr. Gifford said he is a conservation scientist by training.  He said the Pine Bush Commission now has 27 staff, is an authority, the preserve contains 3200 acres, including at least fifteen invasive species.   He said there are hundreds of acres of Blue Lupine planted, the Karner Blues Butterfly population doubled from 2010 to 2011, the preserve…

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Archaeology in the Pine Bush

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by Tom Ellis   ALBANY: Derrick Marcucci of Landmark Archeology was the featured speaker at the November 16 SPB dinner at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. He said most of his firm’s Pine Bush work involves development proposals, the number of which have dropped off quite a bit in the past three years. The Pine Bush he said, has been a natural corridor between the Hudson and Mohawk River valleys, was once 40 square miles, and is a unique ecosystem. Developers,…

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Willow Street Again

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Willow Street Again   Drumlin Fields Its Not Over ’til Its Over (There is still time to call your Council Member!) by Lynne Jackson Dramatic events have happened since our last newsletter, when we made an appeal for Save the Pine Bush supporters to contact their Common Council members and ask them to vote “no” on the Drumlin Fields proposal before the scheduled vote on January 21. The Common Council did NOT vote on January 21. They received a mountain…

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No Frack-ing Way

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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 week, 450 people registered to lobby and saw 180 legislators. In a first draft environmental impact statement, Mr. Downs said that the DEC had not…

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Update on Albany’s Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP)

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By Tom Ellis Sometime in January, the General Services Committee (GSC) of the Albany Common Council will hold a meeting at which the city’s solid waste consultants, Clough Harbour @ Associates (CHA) and Bill Bruce, will discuss their response to comments submitted by representatives and friends of Save the Pine Bush on the proposed long-range solid waste management plan written by the consultants. This meeting was not scheduled as of December 27. GSC Chairman Mike O’Brien said he intended to…

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Environmentalists Honor Ward Stone

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ALBANY: The October Save the Pine Bush dinner at the First Presbyterian Church was the setting for the birthday party in honor of Ward Stone. The party was a great success. The hall was packed full. We all agreed that the environmental community couldn’t get along without Ward. Speakers included Elise Griffin, Elise Kunz, Tom Porter, Tom Ellis of Citizens’ Envrionment Coalition, Rennie Sanges, Laura Haight, Brian Bush, Kelly Travers-Main, Lynne Jackson, Peter Nye, Rezsin Adams, Anne Rabe, a message…

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Draft Solid Waste Management Plan Needs Closer Look & Changes

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by Tom Ellis ALBANY: Early this year, the City of Albany’s solid waste consultant, Clough Harbour & Associates (CHA), completed a draft long range solid waste management plan for the Capital Region Solid Waste Management Partnership (the planning unit of Albany and the dozen or so municipalities who now dump trash in the Rapp Road landfill). CHA worked for 16 months with a 24-person “Steering Committee” appointed by Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings. CHA and the steering committee met fourteen times…

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We Want Ward in Our Backyard!

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by Tom Ellis As many readers know, Ward Stone, NYS DEC wildlife pathologist since 1969, has had numerous conflicts over the years with DEC higher-ups, most concerning Ward’s determination to learn the facts about how pollutants impact wildlife, and then reporting what he has learned. The latest of these battles is now in progress. This assault likely resulted from his taking and analyzing numerous soil samples downwind of the mercury spewing LaFarge cement factory in Ravena. During May the Albany…

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Regional Solid Waste Authority – Inevitable or will Citizens have a say?

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by Tom Ellis   The City of Albany is preparing an update to its 1992 long-range solid waste management plan (SWMP) for the years 2011-2030. A year ago, Mayor Jennings appointed a Steering Committee (SC) to help draft it. The SC met monthly during the last year. During December, the city’s solid waste consultant, Clough Harbour & Associates (CHA), released a draft of the plan that it prepared supposedly with the cooperation of the SC, although it appeared to me…

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