Art Boice and Bruce Snow share property lines and a common problem with their newest neighbor, Central Hudson Gas & Electric.

Central Hudson is building a training and distribution facility in Ulster County that's received approval from the town of Ulster and state Department of Conservation (DEC).

According to a Central Hudson spokesperson, the construction project will “function as a brain” for the company, consisting of a training academy and primary control center for distribution of gas and electric.

While the project was approved, after testing collections of water runoff from the site, the DEC determined that local water sources were being polluted. A culvert from the site leads from a polluted pond to Boice's and Snow's properties.

“That always has water running. It runs 24/7, 365 days a year,” explained Snow. He said he concerned about unknown chemicals and materials coming from the construction site to the pond and their yards.

In a recent letter, the DEC explained that violations by Central Hudson carry potential fines of nearly $40,000 a day.

Central Hudson has acknowledged the violations, and is working with the DEC and neighbors through public hearings to apply the proper water-mitigation techniques for the duration of construction.

For Boice and Snow, the effects of construction are hitting too close to home, both in quality and quantity.

“With the addition of the storm water, the piping that Central Hudson put into the pond now, this pipe will be three quarters of the way full … flowing,” said Snow.

The overwhelming water levels rush through a stream that passes by Boice's yard on its way to the Esopus Creek, and is taking some of his yard with it.

“When you look at the land, you can see how the erosion, right up to my telephone pole where my electric comes, it’s not going to be long until my telephone falls down,” said Boice.

His property has been eroded to the point that the missing property has been replaced by gravel, and his well pipe that was once almost covered now sticks out three feet above the ground.

“It probably came up to about here,” said Boice. “There’s what they call a pitless adapter. It’s probably only maybe a foot under the ground now. But… I can’t wait.”

He is already preparing for the effects of what a cold winter could do to an exposed well pipe near his home. In addition to the polluted runoff, the men's properties have been hit hard from releases of the Ashokan Reservoir into the Esopus Creek.

“It’s completely washing out, probably eight feet under. I don’t know why they’re still up,” said Boice.

He and Snow, who are neighbors, have been cutting down trees on their properties along the Esopus Creek.

The increased volume from the releases has led the creek to encroach on their properties, squeezing the two onto smaller lots of land and leaving them with more concerns.

“How would you feel if you saw this?” said Boice.