Wallkill Valley Times Jan. 24 2018

Vol. 36, No. 4 3 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018 3 ONE DOLLAR VC girls jell PB Boys roll Page 34 Page 36 w w w .W a l l k i l l V a l l e y T i m e s . n e t Wallkill solar farm eyed Hearing set for former Borden Farm property State urges Walden to reconsider fluoride By TED REMSNYDER The solar panels, 12-15 feet in height, would be tilted upward to absorb the sunlight. By RACHEL COLEMAN A large scale solar farm has been proposed for the former Borden farm property in Shawangunk. The project, known as Daybreak Solar, contains about 260 acres and is bordered by Strawridge Road, Borden Road, Camp Wendy Girl Scout Camp and Magnini Winery. The Shawangunk Town Board plans to hold a public hearing on a local law to regulate such projects at its next meeting on Feb. 1, which leaves the proposal waiting in the wings. Looking to state their case before the public hearing, representatives for Geronimo Energy, the company behind the project, made a presentation to the town board on Thursday. Daybreak Solar is projected to generate about 25 megawatts of energy and be ready to connect to Central Hudson’s East Walden substation by the end of 2020. The solar panels would be fixed tilt arrays—meaning they would be installed on pile-driven posts (no cement) and tilted upward to absorb the sunlight. They would be 12-15 feet in height. The total array area would cover 94 acres, with a fenced area of about 124 acres. The fence would be an agricultural style fencing, similar to what can currently be seen in local orchards. Continued on page 2 In October, the Walden Village Board made a preliminary decision to discontinue the addition of fluoride to its public water supply, and in a special meeting on Monday morning, officials from the New York State Department of Health urged the council to reconsider its position. The Jan. 22 meeting with the health agency representatives was the next step for Walden in the state process for phasing out water fluoridation, and the board would still need to pass a resolution to end the practice. In November, the village gave the state the required 90-day notice about the potential end to the water fluoridation program, and the board set a tentative date of March 1 to end the fluoridation. During the meeting, State Dental Director Dr. Dionne Richardson told the board that no ties have been proven between consumption of fluoride and negative health consequences. “Expert panels consisting of scientists from the United States and other countries have all shared their expertise in various health and scientific disciplines and have considered the available research Continued on page 10 SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL