Diane Walden is reporting for The Columbia Paper Copake town officials are looking to tax a proposed 500-acre solar facility in Craryville, if the project is completed. Under the law, facilities like Hecate Energy's Shepherd's Run project, are tax exempt until the taxing jurisdiction opts out. At its September 10 meeting, held remotely via Zoom, the Copake Town Board unanimously approved a resolution making the tax exemption available under real property tax law “not…applicable within the boundaries of the town of Copake with respect to any solar or wind energy system,..., constructed subsequent to the date of the resolution, …" The resolution was made effective immediately. Hecate Energy, a Chicago-based energy company, has proposed the construction of a 60-megawatt solar facility, calling for the installation of 200,000 solar panels on 500 acres within a 900-acre project area located near the County Route 7/State Route 23 intersection. Most of the land proposed for development is currently being used for farming. Hecate is seeking approval for the facility from the state Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment instead of the town Planning and Zoning boards. Prior to the regular meeting a public hearing was held on revisions to portions of the town code that concern solar energy facilities. Action on the proposed measure was tabled until the October 8 town board meeting. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.