Scott Waldman is reporting at Capital New York senior Department of Environmental Conservation staff members said in private meetings it may be legally difficult for them to oppose construction of a heating facility at the Port of Albany. That facility would allow tar sands crude to be transported through New York. The crude heating facility needs a state air permit before it can begin construction. The purpose of the meetings between the DEC and Albany-area officials was to build support for the state's decision on the facility. The DEC staff warned that the state may not have the legal authority to reject the air permit application by Massachusetts-based Global Partners to build crude oil-heating boilers at the Albany port. The attendees also said they were told that no final decision had been made. Approval of the port facility could allow Global to turn Albany, and possibly the Hudson River, into a major transportation route for tar sands crude from western Canada. The state has until May 21 to make its decision on the air permit application. Read the full story at Capital New York.