Preservation cause gains new zeal in UDPC

New coalition pledges vigilance

By TOM KANE

“We’re not blue. We’re not red. We’re green.”

This was the way Marcia Nehemiah introduced the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition (UDPC) to river valley residents at the coalition’s first public meeting, held June 19 at the Lackawaxen House.

Nehemiah, facilitator of the meeting, was referring to the classification of states during the recent presidential election, blue states being dominated by Democrats and red by Republicans.

“We are a grass roots organization of people in the river valley who love the landscape for its aesthetic, spiritual and economic value,” Nehemiah said. UDPC aims to address “the challenges facing the region…and to confront unprecedented threats the beauty and physical integrity of the Upper Delaware,” Nehemiah said.

The coalition urged attendees to be vigilant in their respected towns by attending planning board and town board meetings to learn of any development projects that might threaten scenic beauty in the valley and to inform UDPC of such projects.

The UDPC mission statement contends that the Wild and Scenic designation of the river valley has “been seriously violated in recent years. Irresponsible land use, granting of variances that compromise river communities’ own laws, ridgetop clear-cutting and large mountain ridge subdivisions pose a constant threat.”

Pat Carullo, a founding member of the group, stated, “Our organization will be like a wild card not connected with any official group. We want to be a catalyst to make residents oppose anything that they think will hurt our valley.”

The UDPC’s website, www.UDPC.net, will keep people apprized of any new developments or groups whose new projects pose a danger to the pristine quality of the valley.

Founded by 18 individuals, the group recently received its not-for-profit status.

“We will soon get our tax-exempt status,” Carullo said.

Several groups belong to UDPC

Individual members of local groups such as The Friends of Callicoon Mountain, the Friends of Pond Eddy Bridge and the Friends of Crawford Road have joined UDPC.

“We want to bring in any group or any individuals who are concerned with preserving our environment. There is so much development happening or about to happen that we need to keep up with it and get people mobilized,” Carullo said.

Many from these groups attended the Lackawaxen meeting. Marten denBoer and Fran Hepburn formed The Friends of Callicoon Mountain after a local developer clear-cut a large section of the ridge just south of Callicoon, NY. Richard Plunz, a resident of Pond Eddy, NY and a professor at Columbia University, formed The Friends of Pond Eddy Bridge in order to stop the replacement of the historic bridge with a new one. Frank Bernaducci of Narrowsburg and New York City, NY and other residents living along Crawford Road formed The Friends of Crawford Road when a developer began proposing a 15-lot residential subdivision along the ridgeline south of Narrowsburg. The project, Eagle’s Nest Estates, is currently under construction.

“It’s very important that we have grass roots groups that can say whatever they want and are beholden to nobody,” said Barryville, NY resident John Tomlinson who attended the meeting. “I like it that we’re green, not blue or red. Development can be good for a town but it can’t be rampant.”

The group is supportive of the recent draft of an ordinance to manage growth on the ridge. The draft was written by planning consultants Tom Shepstone and Carson Helfrich for the towns of Highland, Tusten and Lumberland in New York and Shohola Township in Pennsyvlania. It lays out methods for controlling development on the ridge so that it does not destroy the viewscape of the river.

Opposition to Pegasus

Since UDPC was formed in January 2004, its main focus has been to counter the proposed development of a major power transmission line along the entire length of the Upper Delaware River Corridor. The Pegasus Transmission Company of Canada intends to supply electricity to New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas with a high voltage direct current transfer circuit.

UDPC learned recently that the project was removed from a list of bona fide electrical projects planned for New York State. The list is controlled by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO).

“We don’t know whether Pegasus will appear again as a legitimate project or not,” Carullo said. “All we know is that it has been removed, not cancelled, as many other have been.”

On the NYISO website, a number of other proposed electric projects are identified as “cancelled.” Next to the Pegasus project are the words, “materials change request.”

“That could mean that there is a change of funding or technical procedures,” said Troy Bystrom, an electronics technician knowledgeable about electric power industry and a member of the group. “We don’t really know what Pegasus is up to. It’s important that we keep our eyes on their every move. I intend to do just that,” said Bystrom, who designed and continues to manage UDPC’s website.

Not all approve

One person attending the meeting, Elliott Zucker of Shohola, disagreed with the aims of the group and with their motivations and procedures.

“The Delaware Highlands Conservancy is doing what this group wants to do and are doing it very well,” Zucker said. “[The Conservancy] is not looking to change our zoning codes or take my tax money away from me to do what they want.”

Zucker said he heard a lot of opinions expressed at the meeting about a number of projects.

“I didn’t hear anyone present his or her credentials to be able to thoughtfully criticize these proposed things,” he said.

On the subject of opposing a specific development, Zucker urged the attendees at the meeting to go to planning board and township board meetings on a regular basis and then speak their minds.

“People should know what they’re talking about when they criticize,” Zucker said.

Not senseless critics

“We do not want to mindlessly criticize or undermine anyone or any group,” Carullo said. “In actual fact, we have some very informed people with high credentials, but we still consider ourselves ordinary people who care a great deal about our environment. Our aim is to support our town officials and all other officials and help them in accomplishing what they aim to do.”