PINE PLAINS – The region’s largest environmental organization Friday night said it was opposed to the proposed Durst housing development on the Carvel property in Pine Plains.

Scenic Hudson’s remarks came during a Planning Board public hearing.

The proposed project would include 951 new residences. The town had a population of 2,569 people and 988 households, according to the 2000 census.

Scenic Hudson director of conservation science Dr. Michael Klemens examined the proposal and its location and said it would have some “very significant” negative impacts on the ecological habitat of the site.

“What his analysis showed is the way the development has been planned at this point, it would essential eliminate and eviscerate virtually all of the ecological significance of this site,” said Scenic Hudson’s general counsel Warren Reiss. “It’s as if the planning was done without regard to what the resources on the site were,” he said.

Pine Plains United, a local citizens group, testified about visual impacts and traffic impacts should the project be built as proposed.

The hearing was held to discuss the environmental impact statement for the development.