GlidePath, also known as the Lincoln Park Grid Support Center (LPGSC), was the first major public project in which the ToUC.og had become involved. This is a story of passionate citizen involvement that has a happy ending for citizens, town leadership and GlidePath itself. The original proposal involved the development of a20 megawatt power plant fired by natural gas and diesel fuel in the middle of a 120-acre forest, 680 feet from a housing development, with prominent smokestacks poking 30 feet above 70 foot tree-tops. Thanks to the exhaustive NYS SEQR process that closely examines every aspect of a scope of work and environmental impact statements, highly organized citizens, environmental organization experts, energy analysts, a world-wide energy developer and Town Board willing to listen and also wait for NYS incentives, the original project turned from pollution gray to pollution-free green. The new LPGSC, a battery-storage-only peaker plant, is literally “out of the woods” and situated at a more accommodating site. The plant development was hamstrung by the vagaries of COVID, and it received an extension from NYS and the town that will be reviewed again in November 2021. In addition, GlidePath has promised both the ToUC.org in writing several times that they will turn over approximately 109 acres to a local land trust to become a permanent conservation easement—a win-win-win.
Documents:
5-7-2019
LETTER: Town of Ulster leads the way in power plant regulation
2-1-2019 – GlidePath Changes Their Project
GlidePath has responded to the overwhelming negative community feedback to their fossil fuel Peaker plant proposal, and has changed the project to a battery-storage only project. While some questions remain, this is very welcome news, and shows the power of organizations like this one, and our coalition partners.
GlidePath Statement and Revised Plan
Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley Statement
Town of Ulster Citizens.org Press Release
Ulster power plant plan nixes fossil fuels
Older news: (note – since the change mentioned above, the below is more or less archival information).
The overriding issue for 2018 and 2019 is the Glidepath Lincoln Park Grid Support Center. This is a proposed 20Megawatt Fracked Gas Peaker Power Plant being planned for the Town of Ulster.
That’s right – we may get our own polluting power plant, right in our back yard. It’s proposed to be built off of Miron Lane, between 9W and Route 32. Mere hundreds of feet from homes and businesses.
So how far are you from this? Not far enough, that’s for certain.
If you live, work, or breathe in the Town of Ulster (as well as Kingston, Port Ewen, and a host of other nearby communities), you should definitely take an interest in this.
A good start is downloading our Fact Sheet.
Then, e-mail the Ulster Town Supervisor, James Quigley 3rd. Just click the link, or if you wish, copy and paste: ulstersupervisor@townofulster.org. Tell him how you feel about this.
Latest Developments
12/9/2018 – The City of Kingston asks the state to require enhanced participation plan from Glidepath developers. Read More
12/4/2018 – Glidepath says their draft Environmental Impact Statement will not be ready until the first quarter of 2019. Read More
10/18/2018 – Town of Ulster Citizens.org members read statements at the town board meeting regarding GlidePath and the below zoning issue. Laura Hartmann directly discussed the zoning denial and citizen due process, Eileen Murphy,talked about environmental issues and global warming, and Dan Furman discussed how GlidePath is really a faux “utility company” with no fossil fuel experience.
10/12/2018 – As noted in the below, we’re concerned there is no designation in the Town of Ulster of what constitutes a “Utility Company Structure”. We asked the Zoning Board of Appeals to review such. They refused. Here’s Our Appeal.
9/18/2018 – Our request for zoning clarification is denied.
9/14/2018 – We then petitioned the Zoning Board of Appeals to review the matter. Here’s Our Letter
On 8/16/2018, Town of Ulster Citizens.org presented this letter to the town, and asked that its contents (asking for a Moratorium due to Zoning issues) be discussed at that evening’s town board meeting. Not only was the letter NOT put on the agenda, supervisor Quigley refused to even discuss it or answer any questions regarding it, instead calling on the town lawyer to address questions.
Other Project Documents and History
This project has an interesting documented history, especially as it pertains to the NYS Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
To begin, here’s Glidepath’s concept plan
Here is Glidepath’s original Draft Scope and Environmental Impact Form (which list potential impacts). Part 1 and Part 2.
SEQRA calls for public comment and questions to be added to the draft scope. Here’s what we came up with. We worked countless hours to come up with thoughtful, pertinent questions on how this dangerous, unnecessary project would be built and run.
We weren’t the only ones with questions. Other local environmental and citizen organizations joined in. Here are Lincoln Park Scoping Comments from a joint effort of the following groups: Catskill Mountainkeeper, Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines – New York (CAPP-NY), Kingston Citizens, Kingston Land Trust, Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, and Woodstock Land Conservancy.
And here’s the final scope after our questions. Our questions were, in general terms, completely ignored by the lead agency (which is the town board). The Town Board ignoring the work it specifically asked citizens to do is a little strange.
IMPORTANT: Let’s compare the documents.
We wrote this letter to James Quigley 3rd expressing our disappointment. To make sure he understood, Town of Ulster Citizens.org president Laura Hartmann read it at the May 2018 town board meeting.
BIG NEWS – Ulster County Executive Michael Hein has come out against the 20-megawatt electric-generating plant that Minnesota-based GlidePath Power Solutions wants to build along Frank Sottile Boulevard in the town of Ulster, and he’s asked two state agencies to step in. Read His Letter Here.
Other Recent Published News
10-18-2018 – GlidePath project lawfulness questioned under Ulster town zoning. Read More
9-21-2018 – Town of Ulster residents keep the heat on Glidepath Power Plant. Read more.
9-7-2018 – State Senate Candidate Pat Strong visited the neighborhood closest to the proposed Lincoln Park Grid Support Center (the Glidepath Power Plant) and voiced her opposition to it. Story here.
“Ulster town officials asked for electric plant moratorium” Read More
“Kingston mayor wants enhanced public participation in review of proposed Ulster power plant” Read More
Advocates say Ulster power plant review process gives short shift to public’s concerns Read More
Ulster County Executive Mike Hein opposes GlidePath power station proposed for town of Ulster site Read More
GlidePath fires back at Hein’s criticisms of proposed Ulster power plant Read More
**note: You can download Glidepath’s letter Here
Ulster County Executive Michael Hein voices concern over proposed electric generating plant Read More
Hein’s against Town of Ulster ‘peaker’ plant Read More
Environmental review of proposed Ulster power plant is set Read More
“Town of Ulster gets two additional weeks to frame review of proposed electric generator” Read more.
“Power plant opposition letters irk town of Ulster supervisor” Read more.
“Town of Ulster might seize land near proposed power station to maintain access to transfer station” Read more.
“Ulster Town Board members declare proposed electric generating plant may harm environment” Read more.
“Critics of proposed electric generating station plant in town of Ulster seek more time to comment” Read more.
“Company wants to build power plant in Ulster” Read more.
Letter to the Editor Campaign
Town of Ulster Citizens.org members have been writing letters to the various local publications in an effort to get the word out.
“GlidePath Project Strikes Out Both Locally and Globally” Read More
“GlidePath proposal deserves deliberate review” Read More
“Glidepath Executive’s Claims are Dubious” Read More
“Power proposal for town of Ulster will pollute air” Read more.
“Critics of Proposed Ulster Generating Station see flaws in environmental review document” Read more.
“Power plan for Ulster is to dirty local air for profit” Read more.
“Glidepath plant dangerously sited in Ulster” Read more.
“Ulster power plan hinges on capacity to dirty our air” Read more.
“Ulster’s green energy plan cannot include Glidepath” Read more.
“Ulster power plant sponsor’s are inexpert” Read more.
“We don’t want to be Glidepath’s guinea pig:” Read more.
Let’s finish up with a quick quote on birds, and why they matter.