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The Rest of the Billy's Way Story
To the Editor:
A letter to the editor recently appeared from Mr. Russell Cusick concerning the Billy's Way development in Nelsonville. In the words of the radio commentator Paul Harvey, here is the rest of the story.
I recently saw Mr. Cusick on my property at Billy's Way without permission. I asked him what he was his business. Mr. Cusick responded that a stream running through my property was protected by the DEC. I asked Mr. Cusick if he was sent to my property by the DEC, and he responded "Don't worry about it". He eventually fled my property without explanation.
I noticed Mr. Cusick wore a hat with a "Hudson Highlands Land Trust " emblem on it. After he fled I immediately drove to the H H LT building in Garrison and enquired if they knew Mr. Cusick. They advised that they knew Mr. Cusick and asked him to stop wearing their hat due to repeated complaints from property owners about Mr. Cusick's similar behavior.
In my opinion, Mr. Cusick acted cowardly. Why didn't Mr. Cusick tell me the real reason for his invasion of my property? Mr. Cusick put my property rights second to his zeal to save the planet. Generations of Americans have died, some from Nelsonville, while protecting and preserving our rights. As a husband, father, attorney and former prosecutor, I have a keen sense of people's rights. I feel Mr. Cusick violated my rights. I have asked various police agencies to investigate Mr. Cusick's actions. Nelsonville property owners should not be subjected to random invasion of our property just to satisfy someone's "inherent curiosity".
Mr. Cusick would have readers believe that his "inherent curiosity" led him to my property. What Mr. Cusick failed to mention was that while on my property he took photographs of alleged environmental violations and immediately forwarded them to the DEC. (An officer from the DEC came to the site the following day and left the area without issuing any citations.) These are not random actions. Rather, these are the actions of someone with a purpose, on a mission, regardless of property rights. For someone claiming not to be an authority on environmental law, Mr. Cusick displays a keen knowledge of environmental regulations, wetland buffer rules, EPACERCLA Superfund clean-up sites, construction site runoff, silt fences, toxic runoff, clean water act, 100 foot rule, etc.
For the record, the developer of Billy's Way, Mr. William Villetto, has shown nothing but the utmost respect for the environment. Mr. Villetto is a lifelong resident of Cold Spring, a naturalist, outdoorsman and admirer of wildlife. I know that Mr. Cusick's actions have hurt Mr. Villetto deeply.
The pity here is that these actions give true environmentalists a bad reputation. A true environmentalist would never trample on individuals property rights. We all want a clean, safe environment for our children. We also want our children to be safe from uninvited strangers on our property. If Mr. Cusick wants to save the planet, that's his business. He should not invade my property in furtherance of his cause. It's time he finds a new hobby.
James C. Knox, Esq.
Nelsonville
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