Columbia Land Conservancy urges water-quality focus as Hecate solar debate divides Hudson advisory committee

Troy Wellesley, representing the Columbia Land Conservancy, told the Climate Advisory Committee that existing farming practices on the property proposed for a large solar development are already harming water quality and that conservation actions could provide immediate benefits.

"We have monoculture corn that's growing on 2 thirds of the property, Non organic monoculture corn that gets sprayed every spring and fall with liquid manure," Wellesley said, describing current conditions and raising those practices as the baseline for evaluating any solar project.

Nut graf: The presentation reframed the local debate over the Hecate solar proposal: while opponents have raised environmental concerns about the solar installation itself, Wellesley said current land use — including plowing to the stream edge and cattle standing in streams — is a direct, present water‑quality threat. He proposed targeted land‑management changes and offered the conservancy’s resources to the…