Diane Walden is reporting for The Columbia Paper Hecate [HEK-uh-tee] Energy is reportedly in the process of further shrinking its proposed industrial-sized solar facility slated for construction in the town of Copake. Headquartered in Chicago, Hecate Energy is a developer of solar and wind facilities, as well as energy storage projects. In his Hecate update delivered during the July 17, Copake Town Board meeting, Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf said he and Supervisor Jeanne E. Mettler met with Hecate Partner and Chief Strategy Officer David Wilhelm, Senior Vice President of Environmental and Permitting Diane Sullivan, and Shepherd’s Run Project Manager Alex Campbell in June. During that meeting Mettler and Wolf “reiterated the town’s two primary objections to the project as currently proposed: (1) it is too big for Copake, and (2) the proposed siting is no good,” Wolf said. He said that while the meeting failed to produce any tangible progress, they had been told the company is currently in the process of revising its plan for Shepherd's Run. "We do not know when that will be, but we look forward to seeing the revised plan, and to further discussions with Hecate representatives,” Wolf said. In response, Project Manager Campbell responded by email, “Hecate continues to work diligently to refine and improve the Shepherd’s Run project. When we began, the project encompassed 480 acres inside the fence. ... The current size of the project is 255 acres inside the fence, a 47 percent reduction. In addition, we improved the project by adding pollinator planting plans with apiaries, creating a robust landscaping plan and removing the battery storage option of the project. We are proud of this project for doing something meaningful to address the climate change crisis that threatens to impact all of us. ....” Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.