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Updated: January 22, 2026 @ 1:37 am
Judge Maureen Leary, an administrative law judge with the state Department of Public Service, presided over Wednesday’s proposed Shepherd’s Run project public hearing.
Office of Renewable Energy Siting Executive Director Zeryai Hagos heard public comment during Wednesday’s proposed Shepherd’s Run project public hearing.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell gives public comment on the proposed Shepherd’s Run solar farm during a hearing Wednesday.
The community room at the Copake Town Hall was mostly full during a public comment hearing for the proposed Shepherd’s Run solar farm in Copake Wednesday.
Judge Maureen Leary, an administrative law judge with the state Department of Public Service, presided over Wednesday’s proposed Shepherd’s Run project public hearing.
COPAKE — In a public hearing Wednesday, local elected officials and residents from southeastern Columbia County spoke out for and against the proposed Shepherd’s Run solar farm in the town.
“It’s great to see so many of you out here,” said Judge Maureen Leary, a state Department of Public Service administrative law judge who presided over the hearing. “It’s a real tribute to you in terms of your participation in the government — literally.”
The event came after the state Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission granted Illinois-based Hecate Energy a draft permit in November to build the 215-acre, 42-megawatt Shepherd’s Run solar farm. The office is under the purview of the state Department of Public Service.
“Hecate appreciates the open process that ORES is conducting, and we are encouraged by the robust and balanced turnout from the community after attending the first public comment hearing,” Hecate’s Senior Director of Development Matt Levine said after the hearing Wednesday. “There was tremendous support from local unions and environmental groups, and we hope to address the concerns of those who oppose the project where we can.”
The hearing was attended by the executive director of ORES, Zeryai Hagos. Both Leary and Hagos stressed the importance of public comments during the process.
Office of Renewable Energy Siting Executive Director Zeryai Hagos heard public comment during Wednesday’s proposed Shepherd’s Run project public hearing.
Roughly 160 people were in attendance in the community room of Copake Town Hall, including Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell, Copake Town Supervisor Richard Wolff and Deputy Supervisor Stanley Gansowski.
The first person to comment at the meeting was Murell. He stressed the need for the state to follow the principle of local governments” ability to govern themselves which he argued would be violated if the state approved the Shepherd’s Run permit.
“This is a perfect example of the state ignoring the rights of small rural communities,” Murell said.
Jean Halloran, executive director of Sensible Solar for Rural New York, criticized the state’s lack of responsiveness to residents’ numerous public comments.
“I have to say that the filing of comments is like talking to a black hole, we get nothing back out of ORES, nothing,” Halloran said.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell gives public comment on the proposed Shepherd’s Run solar farm during a hearing Wednesday.
Halloran highlighted one of the biggest concerns opponents of the project had, the fact Hecate made a fire evacuation plan for its workers but not for the nearby Taconic Hills School District in its filings with the state.
No evacuation plan would be sufficient for the schools given the quick spread of a potential solar fire, retired FDNY Battalion Chief and part time Copake resident William Murphy said.
Copake resident Bradley Pitts said that he welcomed the solar panels in his town as a positive example for his kids in the fight against climate change.
“Shepherd’s Run became public knowledge between the time my family and I made an offer on our house and when we closed,” Pitts said. “Multiple studies show house prices will stabilize, and with the possibility.”
Pitts’ comment about property values drew mocking laughter from corners of the room. When he stopped his remarks to ask for more respect from the audience, Leary threatened to end the hearing on the spot or remove attendees who laughed.
The community room at the Copake Town Hall was mostly full during a public comment hearing for the proposed Shepherd’s Run solar farm in Copake Wednesday.
Friends of Columbia Solar Co-Director Joan Grubin, who is supporting the project, highlighted how the debate over the project has divided the small town of Copake
Multiple attendees who spoke against the solar farm questioned the effects of climate change requiring more solar power on the grid.
Win Haas, who grew up in Copake and recently moved back, said the Rasweilers, the family looking to lease their farmland to Hecate Energy for the project, should be allowed to do what they want with the land and questioned concerns raised by opponents about the water safety.
One longtime Copake resident, Kelly Nardin, began crying when speaking about the impact of the project on the town.
Len Luka, an advocate with New Yorkers for Clean Power who comes from a farming family, said that farmers would welcome the opportunity to have solar farms on their land for the extra income.
In addition to the hearing held Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. there will be hearings held Thursday at 2 and 6 p.m. and there will be an online hearing on Jan 27 at 2 p.m.
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