Have you ever wondered…

• Why are electric bills rising?

• How does the electric grid actually work?

• Which power sources keep the lights on?

Meredith Angwin spent her career solving real-world problems in the electric power industry. As a working chemist and project manager, she led efforts to reduce pollution, improve power plant performance, and increase the reliability of the electric grid.

One of the first women to become a project manager at the Electric Power Research Institute, she directed research in both renewable and nuclear energy. Today she is widely known as “The Electric Grandma,” helping everyday people understand how our electric grid really works—and why electricity costs are rising.

Link to purchase tickets: https://nyenergyalliance.org/event/understanding-energy/

Terra-Gen Isn't the Only Proposal Anymore. Now There Are Two.

Many residents have been standing together against the proposed Terra-Gen battery storage facility. Now, another lithium-ion battery storage project, by developers Mission Clean Energy, has been proposed just 500 feet away.

If we don't show up, decisions will be made without us.

The Town of Ulster is not a dumping ground for industrial battery storage. This is our opportunity to stand together, ask tough questions, hold the developer accountable, and demonstrate that our community will not quietly accept project after project in our neighborhoods.

Bring your family. Bring your neighbors. Fill the room. Numbers matter, and a strong community presence sends a powerful message that the people who live here expect their voices to be heard.

The future of our community depends on those willing to show up. Be one of them.

The Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (UCIDA) is reviewing and proposing changes to its tax exemption policy for housing and renewable energy projects, including how Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) are calculated, what criteria projects must meet, and how large-scale renewable energy projects may qualify for local tax abatements and incentives. The proposed revisions include a new renewable energy category that could apply to utility-scale battery energy storage and other energy infrastructure projects.

Public comments are now being accepted on these proposed changes, which could impact future large-scale renewable energy developments throughout Ulster County. Concerns raised by residents include cumulative taxpayer impacts, effects on school and municipal tax bases, layered public incentives, infrastructure and emergency service burdens, and whether sufficient project-specific fiscal analyses are being provided before expanding eligibility for additional tax incentives.

Submit written comments by 5/20/26 to: info@ulstercountyida.com

GOAL: To raise public awareness and show strong community opposition to the proposed Hurley Avenue Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. This peaceful protest aims to demonstrate that residents demand safety, transparency, and accountability from local leaders before approving high-risk industrial projects near homes, schools, and waterways.

SUMMARY:

Join us for a peaceful protest in front of Mainetti & Mainetti, P.C., across from Dietz Stadium Diner on 130 North Front Street, Kingston. We will gather to voice community concern over the Hurley Avenue BESS proposal. Bring your energy, your signs, and your neighbors—together we can make a visible statement for public safety and environmental responsibility.

Scoping is the step where the Town decides which environmental impacts must be fully studied before the project can move forward. This is the public’s opportunity to review the Draft Scope and point out what’s missing, what needs more analysis, and what questions still haven’t been answered. Community members are encouraged to speak at the February 23rd public scoping hearing at 6:00 PM to ensure community concerns are included in the SEQRA record!

DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN/EMAILED COMMENTS: March 10, 2026 - before 5:00 PM

 Community members may comment on issues such as:

1.      The impacts of siting the project next to a residential neighborhood

2.      Whether alternative locations or site layouts should be considered

3.      Potential impacts on environmental justice communities

4.      Fire safety risks and emergency response planning

5.      Impacts to water resources

6.      Light and noise pollution

7.      Traffic and transportation impacts

8.      Effects on local wildlife and natural resources.

Community members may also wish to review whether the Draft Scope adequately addresses air quality and public health, off-site emergency impacts, and cumulative impacts

To review draft scope and supporting materials:

1.      Visit Town Website:  https://www.townofulster.ny.gov/public-information/

2.      Scroll down to: “Large Scale Proposed Projects”

3.      Click on “Alcazar Energy Storage System, LLC”

4.      Click on “Scoping Documents” and view the “Alcazar Draft Scoping Document” as well as other relevant studies (e.g. light, noise, site plans, threatened and endangered species, wetland delineation report, stormwater pollution prevention plan, etc.)

All written or emailed comments must be directly submitted to:

 Supervisor James E. Quigley III

 ulstersupervisor@townofulster.ny.gov

Subject Line: Scoping Comments – Alcazar Energy Storage Project (430 Hurley Ave.)

The evening features the world premiere of Unfiltered: New York’s Watershed Battle, followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A examining what this transition means for land use, grid reliability, workers, and local communities and whether the region will once again be asked to absorb the physical costs of New York City’s growth without a meaningful voice in the outcome.

This conversation is directly relevant to the proposed Battery Energy Storage System on Hurley Avenue in the Town of Ulster, which would place critical energy infrastructure inside a residential area connected by wetlands and tributaries to the Esopus Creek system. As with the watershed system, the Hurley Avenue project raises the same fundamental question: who bears the environmental risk, and who gets to decide when large-scale infrastructure is placed in local communities.

Purchase Tickets Here: https://nyenergyalliance.org/event/catskills-energy-future/

GOAL: STRONGLY SUGGESTED WE GO TO SPEAK - this comes directly from a member of the Ulster County Legislature. We need to be there and speak up about our concerns!

SUMMARY:

Public Hearing On Proposed Local Law No. 12 Of 2025, To Require Notification To The Department Of Emergency Communications/ Emergency Management Of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) By Local Municipalities In The County Of Ulster

Legislative Chambers, 6th Floor, County Office Building

Click the Live Stream Link Below!

GOAL: To raise public awareness and show strong community opposition to the proposed Hurley Avenue Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. This peaceful protest aims to demonstrate that residents demand safety, transparency, and accountability from local leaders before approving high-risk industrial projects near homes, schools, and waterways.

SUMMARY:

Join us for a peaceful protest in front of Mainetti & Mainetti, P.C., across from Dietz Stadium Diner on 130 North Front Street, Kingston. We will gather to voice community concern over the Hurley Avenue BESS proposal. Bring your energy, your signs, and your neighbors—together we can make a visible statement for public safety and environmental responsibility.