Town Board member rebuts claims: ‘fly ash at Beacon Island is safely capped’
ALBANY—George Harder is no stranger to local politics, his most recent run for Town Board in 2017 was one of five trips down the campaign trail, but he continues to fly his familiar “Work Harder” slogan through regular visits behind the microphone at Town Hall.
His few minutes before the board are expected at each public comment session. A rebuttal from a Town Board member, however, is not.
At the Bethlehem Town Board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25, Harder raised his concerns over environmental hazards related to fly ash at Beacon Island near the Port of Albany. The fly ash, or coal ash, was a byproduct left behind by the former Niagara Mohawk power plant nearby. It remained undisturbed, taken over by nature before vegetation was cleared to prepare for constructing a new facility connected to New York offshore wind power projects. The clearing sparked controversy among area residents who claimed they had not been properly informed of the projected $350 million project, igniting lawsuits.
Harder, a frequent speaker at board meetings, alleged that carcinogens from fly ash, which he claimed had been exposed during vegetation clearing, were entering the town’s water supply and contaminating the air.
“The Beacon Island fiasco is going to compound our polluted water problem,” Harder said. He accused the town of negligence, stating, “Your ignorance and arrogance make you unfit to govern our town.”
Town Board member David DeCancio responded to Harder’s claims, specifically addressing the allegation regarding fly ash exposure. DeCancio stated that Harder’s assertion about fly ash being airborne was factually incorrect.
“For the record, the fly ash has been capped at the Port of Albany. It is not flying around,” DeCancio said, emphasizing that the material is contained and sealed. “When you keep coming up here and saying that the fly ash is flying in the air, that is factually incorrect.”
The board did not engage in further debate during the public comment period but acknowledged Harder’s concerns. Public comments are typically not responded to during the meeting, though board members clarified factual points in this instance.
In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule amending 2015 regulations on coal combustion residual disposal, extending existing regulations to include inactive electric utility sites, or “legacy CCR surface impoundments.” It remains unclear whether the coal ash landfill at Beacon Island, now owned by the Port of Albany, will be subject to this rule.
The EPA lists Beacon Island as a potential legacy CCR site, and, because of that, the Port of Albany must assess the site’s applicability by Friday, Nov. 8. Port officials are consulting with the State Department of Environmental Conservation and the EPA. Port CEO Richard Hendrick stated that the coal ash at Beacon Island is encapsulated and not leaching, and the Port will comply with applicable regulations.
Environmental groups like Hudson Riverkeeper and Beacon Island Environmental Justice have been monitoring the site and provided information to the EPA, which placed Beacon Island on its list of potential CCR management units. If regulated, the rule could require groundwater monitoring and other corrective actions.
The Port has already implemented a remediation plan in anticipation of potential regulations, and officials believe they may not need to undertake additional work. Facilities must complete assessments by November 2028 and comply with interim deadlines.
Coal ash contains harmful contaminants such as mercury and arsenic, which can affect water sources if not properly stored.
