Diane Valden is reporting for The Columbia Paper the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment continues to move forward with the 60-megawatt solar project called Shepherd's Run Solar in Craryville. Last month, Copake Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf said the Hecate Energy project is proceeding under the Article 10 law, “which allows developers to largely circumvent local zoning laws and approval processes, and to get state approval instead.” Hecate Energy Project Developer Alex Campbell said Shepherd’s Run is proceeding under Article 10 of the state Public Service Law. “Hecate doesn’t do projects that don’t include local input… we encourage and look for local input… it’s just a good way to do business,” Campbell said. He said Copake Supervisor Jeanne Mettler and Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell will each submit the names of four nominees to be considered for the two local representative seats on the seven-member siting board. The other five spots are held by permanent siting board members. The industrial-scale Hecate project calls for the placement of 200,000 solar panels on 500 acres within a 900-acre area near the intersection of state Route 23 and County Route 7. The project footprint is 50 times the size allowable under Copake’s solar law. Hecate, a Chicago-based energy company, has so far filed the required Public Involvement Program, which broadly outlines the proposal, but is light on details. Hecate this month is expected to file a Preliminary Scoping Statement, which would likely provide more information. Craryville resident Paul Parzuchowski is concerned. He said the project is “going to be a mess and it’s in my backyard.” Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.