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In Copake, more court dates and complaints about Cascino

May 03, 2015 12:02 am
Diane Valden in The Columbia Paper reports that Stosh Gansowski is neighbors with Salvatore Cascino in Copake, and it seems every year he witnesses illegal dumping down the street. Gansowski says he has photographs of several tractor trailer truck loads of unidentified debris spread out on the Cascino property within the last week. Cascino is Bronx-based waste hauling businessman and Copake farmland owner, operating locally under the LLC titles of Copake Valley Farm and 13 Lackawanna Properties. He has a 17-year history of violations of federal, state, and town laws for illegal dumping and failure to get permits for building and excavating. Cascino was found guilty of both civil and criminal contempt in 2009, and pled guilty to one count of felony second degree offering a false instrument on behalf of his corporations in 2012. Columbia County Acting Supreme Court Judge Jonathan Nichols should make a decision soon on contempt of court charges in a trial with final legal submissions due in February 2014. The Attorney General's Deputy Press Secretary Nick Benson updated The Columbia Paper on a state Department of Environmental Conservation issue: “We’re still in the discovery phase of our case against Cascino for alleged violations of the 2012 consent order prohibiting him from bringing unrecognizable materials to the Copake property. Last week we got a favorable decision from the Court in response to our motion to compel disclosure. Cascino has until May 16 to give us the documents we requested, as well as answer our interrogatories. As you indicated, we have been in contact with Stosh Gansowski and other neighbors, who have reported when they’ve seen new piles or dumping on the Copake site. During the past couple weeks, we’ve had DEC investigators follow up with two site visits, and we’re currently talking with DEC about further enforcement possibilities.” Cascino’s attorney Brian Gardner did not return an email from the paper for comment. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.