GOSHEN – Following 1 1/2 hours of public comment, the Orange County Legislature,

GOSHEN – Following 1 1/2 hours of public comment on Thursday, the Orange County Legislature voted to support the new Danskammer electric generating plant.

Opponents speaking during public comment raised health issues, said renewable energy is the future of power generation, and that the plant is not needed. Hayley Carlock is director of Environmental Advocacy at Scenic Hudson.

“There are wind projects totaling over 2,000 megawatts including 1,700 megawatts of offshore wind currently in the queue. About 1,700 megawatts is expected to come online around 2023, approximately the same time as this plant, and there is several hundred megawatts of onshore land; one project under construction and several others under construction,” she said.

Supporters, who mostly included labor union members and officials, said the plant will infuse millions into the area economy and provide for hundreds of good paying construction and permanent jobs.

Todd Diorio is president of the Hudson Valley Construction Trades Council.

“We are not against renewables; we are in favorable of renewables,” Diorio said. “That’s the future. Sometimes the CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act) is a political move. They have these goals of 2030, 2040, and 2050. Even the governor who pushed this isn’t sure that these goals can be met and they leave some language in there that allows it to be reopen in case these goals can’t be met.”

Some current employees at the existing plant supported the new facility, saying it is needed and will be a benefit to the residents of the area.

Legislator Michael Anagnostakis sought to have an amendment to the resolution to prevent a new payment-in-lieu of taxes. That was defeated.

When the results of the vote were read – 12 to 7, two abstensions – members in the audience booed and shouted out as they left the chambers.