Climate activists protest gas expansion projects in Lamont’s office
Around 30 activists in neon pink T-shirts gathered around
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office on Monday afternoon, singing “This Little Light of
Mine,” to protest his support for new methane gas construction in Connecticut.
The protest was organized by a new coalition calling
themselves Don’t Destroy Our Future, a group organized for the sake of this
protest by members of climate justice groups including Sunrise Movement
Connecticut, Third Act and Interreligious Eco-Justice Network.
Activists called for Lamont to deny permits for new projects
expanding natural gas usage in Connecticut. They argued that these buildouts
contradict the state’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a
target Lamont signed
into law earlier this year.
“Gov. Lamont has been clear that he wants to bring new
energy resources into New England to increase our energy supply and lower costs
for ratepayers,” said Rob Blanchard, a spokesperson for Lamont’s office. “We
look forward to continuing the conversation with regional partners on how we
can best achieve this goal, while protecting the state’s investment in
renewable energy.”
Nine of the activists entered Lamont’s office and explained their demands to a Lamont staffer, who nodded and said he would pass their concerns along. In a planned political arrest, those nine activists then refused to leave the office and were peacefully escorted out by Capitol Police.
They were charged with obstruction of free passage, a
misdemeanor, and released, according to Lt. Greg Wimble of the Capitol Police.
Claudia Allen, a 79 year-old Thompson resident, said she
felt a generational responsibility to be arrested for the first time in her
life, because she doesn’t have the same career considerations as young people.
“I really feel that my generation has to make the right
decisions in order for [the younger] generation to have a livable future,” she
said. “It’s really all about the young people for me.”
Most of the protesters were around her age. Two of the
arrested protesters walked with canes, and one had been arrested protesting the
Vietnam War.
Kate Donnelly, a former first selectman of Hampton, said she
saw Lamont’s approval of natural gas projects as incompatible with his support
for climate goals.
“When Gov. Lamont ran for office, he made a lot of promises
about addressing climate, and he hasn’t kept them,” she said. “We’re here to
say, Gov. Lamont, we need to secure our future for the planet and our children
and future generations, and we want him to address these issues.”
Lamont, a Democrat, has long expressed an openness to
natural gas as a means of keeping energy prices in check while reducing
emissions from older, dirtier forms of power such as oil and coal.
In July, his administration gave tentative approval to a plan to expand the capacity of
the existing Iroquois Pipeline by building a series of compressors capable of
pumping an additional 125 million cubic feet of gas each day through the
pipeline. The decision angered both environmental activists as well as local
residents in Brookfield — the town where the compressors will be built — who
have raised concerns about the pipeline’s proximity to a nearby middle school.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has
yet to issue a final permit for the Iroquois project, which is scheduled for
an informational
public hearing in January.
A spokesperson for the Iroquois Pipeline did not respond to
a request for comment Monday.
During his state of the state address in January, Lamont
urged lawmakers not to “rule out natural gas” as a way of addressing the
state’s spiking energy costs, despite concerns about methane and other
greenhouse gas emissions.
Connecticut, like most of its New England
counterparts, relies
on natural gas to produce the majority of its electricity. In
addition, more than a third of the state’s homes are heated with natural gas
during the winter.
“We bring in very inexpensive natural gas from Pennsylvania,
but that pipeline is at capacity,” he said. “And we bring in [liquid natural
gas] by foreign ships, which is more polluting and more expensive.”
Critics of natural gas, however, argue that the commodity is
subject to volatile price swings that could undermine promises of long-term
savings.
“His embrace of more gas is really unfortunate,” said Peter
Millman, the director of People’s Action for Clean Energy, an environmental
group. “I think that he and his advisors are underestimating what the future
cost of gas prices will be.”
Millman was not in attendance at Monday’s protest.
The Lamont administration has also drawn criticism over
a plan
to invest $42 million in a new gas heating system to power a network
of pipes that deliver heating and cooling to more than a dozen buildings in
downtown Hartford, known as the Capitol Area System.
Advocates had pushed for lower-emission — and costlier —
alternatives that would replace the aging gas-powered system with either
all-electric boilers or an underground geothermal system.
Electric Boat buys old Sears store, final piece of Crystal Mall site
General Dynamics Electric Boat has acquired the former Sears
store at Waterford's Crystal Mall, the final portion of the mall that it did
not already own.
The purchase price for the property was not immediately
available, either from Electric Boat officials or municipal real estate
records. Over a period from June to the end of October, the submarine maker
spent $31.42 million dollars to by two other parts of the mall from it's owner,
Great Neck N.Y.-based Namdar Realty Group.
But the former Sears store was owned by a limited liability
company, 350 Hartford Turnpike LLC. that is affiliated New York
City-based ACHS Management Corp. The limited company paid
$2.78 million at an auction in the fall of 2023 for the10.62 acre
property and 150,632 building that made up the former Sears property.
Mark Rayha, Electric Boat's president said owning the
entire mall property "will facilitate Electric Boat’s ability to
accelerate submarine production." The mall is located on Hartford Turnpike
and is adjacent to Interstate 95.
“This is our third and final acquisition of property at this
location, which will address the increasing demand signal for submarines by our
nation," Rayha said.
Construction of the new corporate campus is expected to
start sometime time next summer, allowing Electric Boat maximize
manufacturing space at the company's shipyard, located near the mouth of the
Thames River in nearby Groton. Employees will start working at the site
sometime in mid-2027.
The mall site is located about five miles \from the
manufacturing facility.
The acquisition of the Sears space comes a little more than
three weeks after
the defense contractor acquired virtually all of the mall it didn't own already.
And that $25 million purchase was preceded by Electric
Boat's acquisition of another vacant retail space, the former Macy's store
at the mall in late June.
Electric Boat employs more than 24,000 people. Company
officials said last month that between 4,000 and 5,000 people will work at the
Waterford facility when process of converting the mall to officer space is
complete.
Construction to begin on 57-unit apartment complex in Montville.
Sofia Acosta Silva
Montville — Construction is set to begin this week on
Horizon View, a 57-unit, mixed-income apartment development on Route 32, after
developers closed on financing and received their permits.
The developers of the $24 million project, Honeycomb Real
Estate Partners, said work will begin immediately following Tuesday's closing.
The building is expected to be finished in February 2027, with leasing
beginning about three months prior.
"We've given our contractor the notice to
proceed," said Lewis Brown, managing principal of Honeycomb. "We have
our building permit in hand, and after tomorrow, you'll start seeing
construction."
The four-story building will include 25 one-bedroom units
and 32 two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 690 to 960 square feet.
Developers said 80% of the units will be affordable to
households earning 60% of the area median income or below. The remaining 20%
will rent at market rate.
Brown said the apartments will remain affordable for 50
years, and utilities will be included in the rent.
The project is financed with a total of $10.1 million in
loans through the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the state
Department of Housing and a $11.6 million tax credit equity from the National
Equity Fund, a nonprofit syndicator. Liberty Bank will serve as the
construction lender. A nonprofit organization, New Neighborhoods Inc. of
Stamford, will also be a partner in the project. Brown said the developer's
contribution is $900,000.
Amenities include a community center with computers
available for residents at no cost, a fitness room, conference room, mail and
package area, a bike room, and free parking. The building will be fully
electric and equipped with Energy Star appliances.
Units will feature granite countertops and other modern
designs mirroring Honeycomb's recent developments in West Hartford and New
Haven.
Brown said the company chose Montville because of strong
support from local and state officials and the clear need for more housing near
major job centers, including the nearby casinos.
"Montville has been underdeveloped with housing for so
long," he said. "So I think this will benefit a lot of people, folks
who work in town, but also at the casino."
He added that based on recent projects, he expects Horizon
View to fill quickly, noting that their West Hartford and New Haven
developments rented all units in 30 days and both now have waiting lists.
During Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, Brown said
the project drew no opposition.
The 3.4-acre property at 2268-2284 Route 32 was previously
occupied by older residential buildings that have since been demolished.
Previous plans for commercial projects on the site including fast food
restaurants never occurred.
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Lucy Perry
This summer, OSHA proposed revising or removing existing
safety standards that have a direct impact on transportation construction
contractors.
Three such rules affecting road and bridge construction are
among several the agency is presenting in efforts to either revise obsolete
measures or scale back or withdraw certain long-standing obligations for
businesses.
Offered the opportunity the construction industry responded
with a resounding "don't fix it."
In fact, on July 1, OSHA published 25 proposed rules in the
Federal Register, reported the Institute of WorkComp Professionals (IWCP).
A general duty clause, construction illumination standard
and rules dictating medical evaluations for certain respirators would affect
the construction industry.
Industry stakeholders, associations and employers had until
Sept. 2, 2025, to submit feedback to OSHA. ARTBA believes that while safety is
a top priority, "clear and practical rules are essential for effective
compliance and consistent enforcement."
"ARTBA and the AGC [on] Oct. 31 expressed overall
support while recommending refinement to ensure clarity," said the road
builders association.
Citations at Heart of General Duties Clause
The General Duties clause cites employers where no current
standard exists, said Kevin Ring, IWCP lead workers' compensation analyst.
The clause is "often used for heat-related, ergonomic
and workplace violence citations," said Ring, who termed it one of the
most notable proposals.
"This change would limit OSHA's ability to cite
employers … for known hazards ‘inherent and inseparable from the core nature of
a profession activity or performance.'"
ARTBA maintains this policy allows OSHA to cite employers
for unsafe conditions even when no specific safety standard applies.
"The industry urges OSHA to extend proposed limits on
this clause to roadway construction sites where workers can be exposed to
hazards," said ARTBA.
The association gave as an example situations where reckless
drivers are outside an employer's control. AGC's stand echoed ARTBA's.
"When there are no specific requirements at play, OSHA
regulates clear and obvious hazards under the general duty clause," said
AGC.
The association said the proposal seeks "to exclude
known hazards that are inherent to the core nature of a profession under the
general duty clause."
The proposal came out of a 2014 D.C. Circuit Court decision
where OSHA relied on the clause to regulate SeaWorld practices. SeaWorld was
exposing its trainers to the recognized hazard of close contact with orca
whales.
It was argued that the clause does not authorize OSHA to
regulate hazards from normal activities intrinsic to professional, athletic or
entertainment occupations.
"There are many situations, highway work chief among
them, in which construction employers are unable to eliminate all known
hazards," said the AGC. "Our comment asked OSHA to include highway,
bridge and street construction as an industry that would be impacted by the
proposed rule."
Keep Job Sites Bright All Night
OSHA proposes rescinding the Construction Illumination
Standards that require minimum lighting levels in construction areas. Those
areas include corridors, ramps, shops and tunnels. AGC and the industry
recommends keeping the standard as is.
Maintaining the rule's wording would ensure adequate
visibility and safety during nighttime operations, said the association.
These requirements set the base level of light required for
different areas around job sites, said AGC.
"OSHA reasoned that because citations for improper
illumination were rare, they should be able to rescind this regulation without
any impact to the industry."
In response, AGC partnered with ARTBA, asphalt paving and
roofing associations to submit a comment in opposition to the proposed
rescission.
"The key argument made on behalf of the industry is
that proper lighting is foundational to safety and the prevention of slips,
trips and falls, among other hazards," said AGC. "A rescission would
create uncertainty that could make job sites less safe, an unacceptable
result."
Easing Employers' Obligations On Respirators
The third proposal that would hit the transportation
construction industry directly concerns medical evaluations for certain
respirators.
To industry's concern, OSHA proposes eliminating medical
evaluation requirements for workers using filtering facepieces or loose-fitting
respirators.
"The industry supports greater flexibility but urges
OSHA to retain the guidance as a non-mandatory best practice," said ARTBA.
AGC said currently respirator-wearing employees would need
to complete a follow-up evaluation to determine whether the respirator could be
worn safely.
"The proposed rule identifies two specific kinds of
respirators for which such precautions may not be necessary," said the
association.
Going further for the cause, AGC said it assembled a small
coalition of trade associations to comment. While the groups agree with the
removal of medical evaluations in certain circumstances, they also believe that
such an evaluation remains a best practice.
"We ultimately recommend that such practices be noted
deliberately in both the preamble of the final rule and in a new non-mandatory
appendix."
Addressing David Keeling, OSHA assistant secretary of labor,
the coalition wrote a letter asking that the respirator requirements be
amended.
"The AGC, ARTBA, MCAA, NAPA and NRCA welcome the
opportunity to submit comments in response to the OSHA notice of proposed
rulemaking."
The coalition wrote "in measured support" of the
proposal, saying while safety is a top priority, not every best practice needs
to be required by regulation. While they do consider questionnaires and
evaluations a best practice, based on member feedback, they maintain the best
practice can be included in the appendix.
"This strategy would provide our members with guidance
on whether a medical evaluation might be beneficial," said the groups.
At the same time, they added, it would provide flexibility
in situations where the process may be unnecessary.
"In some instances, the use of respiratory protection
may cause a physiological burden on the employee," they said.
The questionnaire and evaluation are best practices to
identify underlying medical conditions that could result in adverse effects
while wearing certain types of respiratory protection. They said this may
include filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) and loose-fitting powered
air-purifying respirators (PAPR).
The coalition suggested OSHA create and adopt a nonmandatory
appendix, a guidance on OSHA medical evaluation for FF and PAP respirators.
In their response to OSHA, they also offered their suggested
wording for the appendix.
"Respirator medical evaluations are designed to ensure
employees required to wear respirators to protect against airborne contaminants
are able to do so safely. The results of the respirator medical evaluation also
help employers make informed decisions about which employees can use
respirators under specific environmental conditions and physical demands.
"Some medical conditions may make it difficult for an
employee to wear a
respirator at work. A respirator medical evaluation can help
detect if wearing a respirator will aggravate or exacerbate any of these
conditions. Employers who choose to administer respirator medical evaluations
and facilitate consultation with a healthcare professional, may continue to
follow the Appendix C to § 1910.134: OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation
Questionnaire (Mandatory)."
In closing its letter, the coalition said each association
takes the safety of its members very seriously.
"As such, we evaluate any deregulatory proposal from
OSHA with caution," it said. "In this instance, we support the
proposed rule as it gives employers flexibility in cases where a medical
evaluation is clearly not necessary."
However, the coalition said, it asks that OSHA designate
evaluations as a best practice both in the preamble of the Final Rule, and in
the appendix.
King of IWCP said that the rule exempts employers who are
required to have workers use either FFRs or PAPRs from medical evaluation
requirements. These proposals, King said, address duplicative regulations or
aim to better align with the general respiratory protection standard.
"Generally, they remove prescriptive requirements,
offer employers more flexibility, [and] permit the use of different respirator
types," he said.
These proposals "remove or limit specific training
obligations but increase the responsibility to ensure that appropriate
respiratory protection is utilized."
The specific hazards addressed include
1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, 1,3-butadiene, carcinogens (4-nitrobiphenyl,
etc.), acrylonitrile, asbestos and benzene.
Cadmium, coke oven emissions, cotton dust, ethylene oxide,
formaldehyde, inorganic arsenic, lead, methylene chloride, methylenedianiline
and vinyl chloride also are included.
OSHA Eyes Other Deregulatory Initiatives
OSHA is proposing other initiatives that address recording
musculoskeletal disorders and occupational exposure to COVID in healthcare
settings.
King said the musculoskeletal disorder recording proposal
withdrew a previous proposal to add a column to the OSHA 300 log for recording
disorders.
"However, withdrawal does not change any aspect of an
employer's reporting obligations," he said. "The obligations to
complete, retain or use the same criteria and definitions for occupational
injury and illness records remains."
The COVID exposure proposal would remove the COVID emergency
temporary standard and its associated recordkeeping and reporting provisions.
OSHA proposed a rule to remove its Safety Color Code for
Marking Physical Hazards standards.
"These codes have historically helped ensure consistent
visual warnings across industrial settings," said King. "But OSHA
notes the hazards are addressed in the Specifications for Accident Prevention
Signs and Tags standard."
OSHA published a final rule removing the requirement for its
administrator to consult with the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and
Health. This rule no longer requires the consultation before OSHA issues or
modifies construction standards.
"If finalized, the rules could alter the compliance
landscape and trigger more regulations in states with robust occupational
safety enforcement," said King. CEG