Where do the commissioners stand?

We're on lunch break right now, but a little earlier today, during a broad discussion about the project, several commissioners made it pretty clear how they plan to vote at this point.

~It will come as a surprise to no one that Dick Booth will likely be voting no. He's too uncomfortable with the fact that there wasn't a full wildlife inventory of the site and doesn't feel like he can make an informed decision about the environmental impact.

"Further discussion's not going to make me comfortable," Booth said. "I don’t think this is an issue that’s going to go away."

~Bill Thomas said he believes the project is appropriate as far as the agency's regulations.

~New Commissioner Sherman Craig said he's leaning toward a yes vote. He told Booth, "I agree with you in many ways, but I’m willing to accept this compromise."

~Art Lussi said he doesn't see how the project has an undue adverse impact, meaning he believes it's approvable.

~Bill Valentino also said that while he shares some of Dick's concerns, he doesn't see the project as having an undue adverse impact.

~DEC designee Judy Drabicki said she has some specific concerns, "but in terms of overall project ... I think this represents the best possibility for this type of area.”

I believe that's all of the people who made clear statements about where they stand. Frank Mezzano I don't think said anything too direct, but his comments implied that he's ready to vote yes. Chairwoman Lani Ulrich is being very thorough about satisfying her concerns, but I think she'll be ready to vote yes by tomorrow. One would tend to assume that since Jen McCormick is the ESD designee, she'd be all for any potential economic benefits and would be ready to vote for it as well, and same with Dede Scozzafava as designee from the Department of State, what with Cuomo's focus on jobs and economic development, but I could be way off about both of those. All of this is purely speculation, and there's a lot of things that could change between today and tomorrow.

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