An offshore wind project slated for Beacon Island at the Port of Albany remains halted and a local point of contention after residents sued the port and town of Bethlehem earlier this summer, and continue to come out in force at meetings.

Dozens of people packed the Albany Port District Commission's monthly meeting Wednesday, both in fervent support and opposition to a $357 million offshore wind project at Beacon Island set to house four buildings, a wharf, a new bridge and internal roadways. It's expected to create 500 jobs with millions of federal and state dollars. 

Mainly union laborers and those in support of the project packed the room.

Albany Port CEO Richard J. Hendrick was pleased by the strong showing of both labor groups and South End residents eager for new job opportunities.

"The project has been well-publicized, and as we can see today, there's a lot of interest," Hendrick said.

The controversy has forced the Albany Port District Commission to move its monthly meeting to the Capital Center to accommodate the crowds.

A group of local residents who live near the site filed a lawsuit against the port in June and showed up to voice their concerns about two million tons of fly ash, a byproduct of burned coal, that remains at the Port of Albany. The industrial waste was dumped at the port decades ago.

Sylvia Rowlands, a Glenmont resident who is part of the Article 78 filing, cited data about the dangers of coal ash.

"Why are we on opposing sides regarding the danger posed by Coal Ash Island?" she asked during the meeting's public comment period. "We are not opposed to labor unions, to construction. We are opposed to toxicity."

The DEC will actively work with the port and state Health Department on appropriate actions if anything is detected above the DEC's guidance levels, according to the department Wednesday.

The port also prepared a soil management plan for the project submitted to the state Health Department and state Department of Environmental Conservation, which remains under review.

"We are trying to be that happy medium," Hendrick said. "And you know, in everything we do at the port, we do take environmental concerns very seriously."

Representatives for the residents and Port of Albany declined to comment about the suit in state Supreme Court in Albany County. 

All parties involved have through next week to submit information to the judge. 

The suit could further impact or delay the project, depending on the judge's decision.

"It's going to take some time, and we're hoping to have a thorough review," said attorney R. Christopher Dempf, who represents the residents and spoke at Wednesday's meeting.

DEC's technical staff have reviewed many environmental studies of Beacon Island, including its existing conditions and investigations of the surface, soils, sediments, ground and surface water. The studies show the coal ash is on the site at varying depths, but do not exceed thresholds considered to be contamination under DEC's guidance, according to the department.

"DEC subjects all applications for environmental permits to a transparent and rigorous review process to protect public health and the environment," the department said in a statement Wednesday. "DEC will continue to communicate with the Town, concerned residents, and other stakeholders as the permit application review process continues."

Hendrick said the slurry from coal ash dumped on the property will be remediated during the project by covering it and stabilizing it in place before construction. The port has not reported any fly ash spills since the trees were cleared.

Labor groups are eager for the project to continue and bring good-paying jobs to low-income and inner-city residents, and stressed addressing the fly ash is part of the planned work. 

"We're not going to leave a dump," said Kereem Berry, executive director of Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program. "They talked about how bad it was. Would you prefer that it stays that way? Or we come in to clean it up? And it's going to be cleaned up. In addition to it being cleaned up, people are going to be able to eat."

Poverty has adverse impacts on health, especially among people of color and minority neighborhoods like Albany's South End.

Berry said the jobs would allow access to health benefits and a better life, adding workers will be aware of the site's contamination and how to protect themselves from guidance from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

The port applied with the DEC for several permits for the project related to air and water quality and stormwater discharge between Aug. 6, 2021 and March 1, 2022, according to the DEC.

The DEC has not issued other permits or approvals for the project to date. 

"No DEC approvals have been issued at this time," according to the department. "The other applications are under review and have not been deemed complete. If they are, a public comment period would be held. DEC is not a party to any litigation over this project."

The U.S. Maritime Administration did not return multiple requests for comment Wednesday as it continues to review the $29.5 million grant U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., secured for the Capital Region project last December. It stands to potentially be rescinded or changed after contractors improperly cleared trees on the port's 80-acre site this spring without securing all proper state and federal permits.

Work done at the site this week by Port of Albany crews was regular, required maintenance related to stormwater pollution.

The project will remain suspended until all permits are issued, Hendrick said.

Dempf and more than a dozen residents have written the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requesting a public hearing on the proposed project. They have not received a reply to date.