A local not-for-profit dedicated to environmental issues is continuing its fight to keep Costco out of Guilderland in Albany County.

Save the Pine Bush is fighting to have its case heard.

There have been two separate cases brought against the town of Guilderland and Pyramid Management, the management group overseeing the project. The first was brought by people who live in the area, and focused on traffic and privacy concerns. That case, residents eventually lost.

But Save the Pine Bush has different concerns, and until now, its lawsuit has been lumped in with that of the neighbors. The litigation has delayed construction on the project.

Pyramid Management proposed plans to build a Costco store and 18 gas pumps off Western Avenue near Crossgates Mall along the Pine Bush. Their plans also include an apartment building on Rapp Road with more than 200 units.

The concerns of Save the Pine Bush are different from that of the residents. In court on March 23, their lawyer advocated for hearing the cases separately.

Save the Pine Bush takes issue with potential environmental concerns the Costco and its gas pumps could cause, including harm to the wildlife in the Pine Bush, especially Karner blue butterflies.

“Save the Pine Bush hopes that the judges will find in our favor on this case,” Save the Pine Bush volunteer Lynne Jackson said. “We are losing Pine Bush ecosystem to development acre by acre. Are our grandchildren going to look at us and ask why there are so few gas stations on Western Avenue? Or are our grandchildren going to ask us why we let the Pine Bush die, and where did the Karner blue butterflies go?”

The town of Guilderland's Planning Board did not respond to requests for comment.

While the Pine Bush is protected land, it’s only the land that has been purchased and dedicated to the Pine Bush Preserve that is safe from development.