Windham Mountain Bike World Cup Festival
Julia Reischel in the Watershed Post reports on the abundance of bicycles in Greene County this weekend:

One of the biggest mountain biking events in the world will be happening in Greene County this weekend: The 2011 Mountain Bike UCI World Cup. The most formidable bikers from around the globe will gather at Windham Mountain Saturday and Sunday to jockey down rocky slopes and blow through mud puddles. The race -- the 7th in the 2011 World Cup series -- is the core of a four days of biking events, including a block party, a concert, and a race for kids. If you can't make it in person, you can watch the races live on the Race Windham website right from your couch. Windham NY 2011 Mountain Bike World Cup Festival, July 7 - July 10, Windham Mountain, Windham, NY. www.racewindham.com.

Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Hinchey, Gillibrand renew effort to get national park designation for region
The Daily Freeman staff reports that U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, who represents the Hudson River Valley just south of the WGXC listening area, and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have reintroduced legislation to make the "Hudson River Valley" part of the National Park system. "Under such a distinction, the region would benefit from greater national attention, additional federal resources to support and preserve heritage sites and increased regional tourism, all of which would contribute to job creation and economic growth, the congressman and senator said in a joint press release issued by Hinchey’s office," the Freeman story says. “The Hudson River Valley is truly one of America’s richest treasures,” Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said in the statement. “From the Adirondacks to the busy ports of New York City, the Hudson River fuels our economy, inspires our artists, and provides New Yorkers with miles of adventure and endless recreation.” Areas along the Hudson River in Columbia and Greene counties are included in the proposal. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.


Cement plant clears first important hurdle
Hilary Hawke in The Daily Mail reports that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has accepted the Final Environmental Impact Statement from the Lafarge Cement Plant in Ravena as complete. After a ten-day waiting period, the DEC can release a "Findings Statement," and according to Hawke's story Lafarge is eager to get started on the plant modernization if approved. The story suggests "project construction which could start as early as fall of 2011 with grounds preparation, grading and drainage." Hawke outlines the timeline in the company's efforts to modernize the plant:
• Aug. 2008: DEC accepted the Lafarge Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
• Nov. 2010: Public comment and a legislative hearing was held in January, 2011.
• Jan. 2011: Legislative hearing.
• April, 2011: DEC sent the document to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a mandatory 45-day review, which ended in mid-June. According to a Lafarge Environmental Manager John Reagan, the EPA provided no further comments.
The new plant’s production would increase from roughly 1.7 million tons currently to 2.8 million tons each year. The article also provides links to Lafarge and DEC documents on the matter, but failed to link to CASE, the local environmental watchdog group that has often been critical of the company. Read the story in The Daily Mail.

Village may find water's cost hard to swallow
Emilia Teasdale in The Columbia Paper reports that Chatham Village is about to get a $2.3-million sewer upgrade that will cost residents $90 more a year on their water bill. At the town's Public Works committee meeting last week, Teasdale also reports that the village reservoir leaks about 50,000 gallons of water a day, according the Pat Prendergrast, the village engineer. And the water tower leaks. Prendergrast suggested to the committee that the village close the reservoir. He asked village officials to look at “your long term plan for your 48-year-old water tower and your reservoir that nobody likes.” Water and Sewer Commissioner George Grant defended the reservoir, saying, “This reservoir had been good to us since 1907,” and then weighed in on the tower: “If we maintain it and coat it every 10 years like we were supposed to it would last for another 30 to 40 years,” he said. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Claverack skate park
The Town of Claverack wants to build a skate park in the town on an already installed foundation. Anyone who wants to make a bid on the project can contact the town (518-672-7911) for more details, but must have four printed copies and a PDF at Town offices at 91 Church St. in Mellenville, by 10 a.m. July 22.