NARROWSBURG, NY — Last week’s Upper Delaware Council (UDC) meeting ended much like a trip down memory lane for those who saw its contentious beginnings 30 years ago.

In the 1980s, the primary issue in creating the River Management Plan (RMP) and the UDC was federal regulation versus local sovereignty. And last week, after decades of peace, there it was again.

It arose anew in a draft UDC position paper on solar energy, distributed to all members for review last week. The paper began by saying the National Park Service (NPS) and UDC support the use of solar energy.

But it went on to temper that support, providing it only to installations serving individual properties. The end of the four-page paper found that large commercial “solar farms” are major commercial development and power-generating stations—both of which are incompatible uses listed in the RMP.

Shohola’s delegate, Aaron Robinson, commented saying the paper was “overreaching,” that the solar “doesn’t violate anything… Why can’t you have this in the corridor?”

Chairman Fred Peckham argued that Robinson’s concerns had already been addressed. “We spent an hour on this at the project review committee.”

Cochecton’s Larry Richardson, who was there 30 years ago, looked for a peaceful solution, noting that other members didn’t attend the committee discussion. He asked that members “look it over,” and bring their comments to a special project review committee meeting on September 27.

“We can’t restrict anything. We advise the NPS. You can permit or not. If you do permit it, you can be found out of compliance,” Richardson said later.

Deerpark’s David Dean said the issue should be the only thing on the September 27 agenda. “There’s a lot to talk about.”

Berlin’s Al Henry has in past asked that issue papers that will confront elected officials should be sent directly to them, not transmitted through UDC members. He asked again on September 1.

UDC Executive Director Laurie Ramie said the mail routing had been discussed before and it had been decided that it was the job of the delegates and alternates to inform their local government officials.

Robinson said the UDC position creates a conflict for Pennsylvania planning commissions. “This is top-down planning and the PA Planning Code is bottom-up.”

Ramie responded, recalling that the UDC had taken a position opposing fracking in the corridor. “How is this different?” she asked.

“I don’t know that we have the authority,” Robinson said.

NPS Upper Delaware Superintendent Kris Heister noted that New York and PA are both signatories of the River Management Plan.

“But the townships hold the burden, not the [PA Department of Environmental Protection]” Robinson said.

“Go back and look at it. When you do, I hope you will leave your personal feelings behind and look at the list. Does it comply? These are two uses already incompatible in the River Management Plan,” Heister said.

In other business, the council heard a presentation from representatives of Frontier Communication, who recommended a series of six “red alert” outdoor land-line phones to provide emergency assistance at river sites roughly between Mongaup and Barryville. The phones would cost approximately $900 each, plus poles if necessary, and a $37 monthly line charge. Cell phone hotspots and the installation of cell transmitters on existing NPS towers were also discussed.

The UDC has not discussed how these improvements would be financed or who would be responsible for monthly line costs.

Ramie also reported that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYDEP), in responding to the UDC

recommendation for a siren warning system for public alerts in the event of a reservoir dam failure, said that siren warning systems are among the recommendations being “vetted and weighed against other options.”

The NYDEP did not respond to the UDC’s request for copies of the city’s emergency action plans.