Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the local environmental groups Our Hudson Waterfront, The Valley Alliance, and River District Economic Coalition filed a petition in Columbia County Court seeking to overturn the recent Hudson planning board’s decision to approve a site plan and conditional use permit for A. Colarusso & Son for its gravel operation on the city’s waterfront. Valley Alliance President Peter Jung said in a statement, “The planning board had the opportunity to choose a win-win option for the people of Hudson.... Denying the applications would stop gravel trucks from harming both downtown and the waterfront. Instead, the planners rolled over for a Greenport corporation which has put its own narrow self-interest over everyone else.” A. Colarusso & Son did not respond to requests for comment. On Dec. 14, the planning board voted 5-to-1 to give conditional approval to A. Colarusso & Son’s application for a conditional use permit to build a paved, two- lane road through the South Bay to get to the Hudson River waterfront. Riverfront President David Konigsberg said in a statement, “Since the beginning, we’ve sought a thorough review of negative impacts, given the huge economic and social potential of the river district.... Despite concerns expressed by the city’s engineers and a strong declaration from the previous board in 2021, the current members disregarded both in rendering their recent decision.” Clark Wieman, the president of the River District Economic Council, said, “The planning board’s decision to permit doubling the road’s size sets the stage for major intensification of industrial activity on the waterfront.... This decision flies in the face of a 40-year trend toward low-impact service sectors, retail, light industry and recreation. It violates the spirit and letter of Hudson’s LWRP which envisions a mixed-use, sustainable waterfront.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.