Two Connecticut gas pipelines could be expanded. Some people have concerns
HARTFORD — A coalition of environmental advocates delivered
a letter to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday
demanding that his administration block further permitting for the expansion of
two natural gas pipelines criss-crossing the state.
The pipelines in question are the west-to-east running
Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline, which provides natural gas to much of New
England, as well as the Iroquois Pipeline, which runs from Canada through
upstate New York and Connecticut before crossing Long Island Sound and
delivering gas to New York City and its suburbs.
The owners of both pipelines have recently announced plans
to expand their existing capacity in the coming years — which they argue will
help meet the Northeast’s growing
demand for natural gas while also stabilizing energy costs.
Opponents of the projects, however, argue that adding to the
state’s current pipeline infrastructure will put nearby communities at risk in
the event
of a leak, while furthering the region’s reliance on fossil fuels that
pollute the air and contribute to global climate change.
The letter delivered to Lamont on Tuesday was organized by
Sierra Club’s Connecticut chapter along with local opposition groups that have
formed along the routes of the existing pipelines.
“Both of these projects will deepen our state’s reliance on
fracked gas and hinder our ability to meet the greenhouse gas reductions and
clean energy goals mandated by the Global Warming Solutions Act,” the letter
from the groups states. “Furthermore, they lock us into unreliable,
unaffordable, unhealthy, and unjust energy."
In a statement Tuesday attributed to Lamont spokesman David
Bednarz, the governor’s office expressed appreciation for the “grassroots
advocacy” of the Sierra Club, while offering no definitive statement on the
future of either project.
“Our administration is aware of discussions regarding
early-stage efforts exploring additional natural gas pipeline infrastructure
that would potentially service Connecticut customers and transport gas through
the state, however there have been no applications submitted to the state to
execute this project, therefore it would be premature at this point to evaluate
it,” Bednarz said.
The larger of the two pipelines, Algonquin, is owned by the
Canadian energy company Enbridge, which last year announced a plan known as “Project
Maple” to seek new buyers of its gas while preparing to add new capacity to
the pipeline by 2029.
“Project Maple is a potential future project, and an
application for Project Maple has not been filed with [the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission]," Enbridge spokesperson Melissa Sherburne said
in a statement. "We have ongoing discussions with possible project
customers, such as natural gas utilities, to better define what this potential
project could involve."
The second pipeline, Iroquois, is proposing a
“compression-only” expansion that would double the current capacity of the
pipeline — adding 125 million cubic feet a day of gas — by building new
compressors in Brookfield and a new cooling facility in Milford.
The project would not involve the construction of new
pipelines, according to the company’s website.
The pipeline is jointly owned by TC
Energy and subsidiaries of the Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company.
Representatives of the project did not immediately respond to requests for
comment on Tuesday.
The two pipelines intersect in the town of Brookfield, where
the proposed expansions have been the subject
of outcry from local residents and elected officials.
In particular, local opponents have seized upon the Iroquois
pipeline’s distance from a middle school — 1,900 feet — as a rallying cry
and name of their advocacy group. Kerry Swift, one of the Brookfield residents
opposing the project, spoke at the rally outside the State Capitol on Tuesday,
where she castigated federal officials for approving the proposed expansion in
2022.
“They’re supposed to be watching out for us in Washington,
and they don’t listen, they don’t respond and they don’t care,” Swift said. “We
need to vote accordingly.”
The developers of the Iroquois project have
additionally sought
an air quality permit from the Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection for the project. After delivering their letter to
Lamont’s office on Tuesday, the protestors also marched to DEEP’s offices in
Hartford to deliver a second copy of the letter to officials there.
A spokesman for the agency on Tuesday referred all requests
for comment to the governor’s office.
$20M for Enfield mall not approved in latest round of state grants
ENFIELD — The board of the Community Investment Fund chose
on Tuesday not to approve a request for $20
million to support the overall $250
million redevelopment of Enfield Square, but the town still has the ability
to reapply for the grant once the project more aligns with economic development
guidelines laid out by the state.
Nebraska-based Woodsonia Acquisitions has entered
into an agreement with New York-based Namdar
Realty Group to transfer ownership of the dilapidated
mall, but the redevelopment of the property hinges largely on getting at
least $20 million from the state.
Woodsonia has not yet purchased the property, one of several
likely deterrents to getting its $20 million request approved.
Enfield officials will receive an executive summary from the
Department of Economic and Community Development in coming weeks, detailing why
their application wasn't approved, DECD Deputy Commissioner and Chief
Investment Officer Matthew Pugliese said.
The review will help Enfield and Woodsonia officials better
understand DECD's vetting process and help them potentially strengthen their
future applications.
While DECD reviews several priorities required under state
law, such as local hiring, support from legislators, and whether it
benefits underserved populations, there are some more significant hurdles
facing the Enfield Square project.
Before recommending the CIF board approve an application,
DECD examines whether a project is still in its conceptual phase, whether a
property acquisition in complete, and whether there are any local or state
permits awaiting approval, Pugliese said.
"We're looking to see how ready the project is,"
he said while speaking in general terms and not about Enfield specifically.
"DECD works to identify for the board the projects that are most
shovel-ready, and can get going quickest."
Another area DECD examines is whether the
budgeting of a project is based on hard math that has been thoroughly vetted,
making it more clear what the final construction cost of a project would be,
Pugliese said.
Further complicating the allocation is the amount of the
request, as $20 million would be among the largest allocations for a single
project in the short history of CIF.
The largest allocation approved on Tuesday was $8 million.
In this round of CIF grants — the fifth since the inception
of the program — there were 146 applicants requesting $445 million, but
the board ultimately approved only roughly $75 million for 36 projects that
made their way onto Tuesday's agenda.
"That just shows the volume of applications,"
Pugliese said, adding that some applications have been submitted several times
without being approved.
While this delays funding, it also provides more
opportunities for applicants to revise their applications in order to meet
guidelines established by the state, meaning there is nothing
preventing Enfield officials from applying for the same grant in the
future.
For this reason, Pugilese said, DECD and the CIF board do
not tell applicants that they've been rejected.
"What we always say is, 'your project wasn't selected
at this time,'" he said. "There's no prohibition of a project coming
back in."
Norwich receives $12M in grants for mill demolition, waterfront improvements
Claire Bessette
When Gov. Ned Lamont visited the Norwich marina on Aug. 1, he turned around in the
parking lot and looked at the blighted former Marina Towers building.
“What are your plans for that?“ he asked.
City leaders had a ready answer for the governor, saying
they had submitted a grant application to assess, remediate and begin
demolition of the long-vacant Marina Towers. The three-story, faded pink and
white building at the entrance to the Marina at American Wharf blocks the view
of the harbor for people coming into the city.
A giant green banner now hangs on the building asking
residents to respond to a survey that asks whether the city should tear it down
or redevelop it. Norwich Community Development Corp. President Kevin Brown said
more 70% of the respondents so far say they want to see it torn down.
On Tuesday, the state Community Investment Fund Committee
approved $4.55 million to continue Norwich waterfront improvements, including
money for Marina Towers, along with $7.8 million to demolish and clean up the
partially collapsed, former Capehart Mill complex in Greeneville.
Norwich will use $1 million of the $4.5 million waterfront
grant to do an engineering assessment of Marina Towers, remediation and at
least selective demolition. Brown said even if the building is to be
redeveloped, the interior needs to be gutted.
“Any day the city of Norwich scores $12.3 million in grant
money, it’s a great day,” Brown said. “It Is an acknowledgment by the state
that we are truly making progress in the right direction.”
Norwich was the region’s biggest winner in the latest round
of CIF grants totaling $74.6 million that were approved Tuesday. New London
received a $250,000 planning grant to design improvements to Gordon Court, and
the Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence received $250,000 to
support recovery in the city.
Montville received a $250,000 planning grant to determine
what development is best for the busy Route 32 corridor.
Lamont created the $875 million fund to help eligible
distressed municipalities fund major capital improvements projects, small
businesses to do capital projects and fund planning grants for future projects.
Tuesday was the fifth round of grant awards, and the sixth round applications
are due Dec. 13.
Norwich earlier received $2 million for waterfront
improvements that included installing new boat fueling tanks at the marina and
restrooms for Brown Park.
The new money will continue Brown Park improvements with a
recreational development not yet finalized, including a permanent stage for
summer concerts, possibly a splash pad, ice rink or a return of miniature golf.
The heritage trail heading up the Yantic River could see improvements,
including an overlook at the river’s edge.
Norwich city leaders called Tuesday’s grant transformative
for the Greeneville neighborhood and for the downtown waterfront. The city
agreed to acquire the former Capehart complex in January from the defunct
former ownership group. The city plans to clean up the 6-acre property along the Shetucket River and create
a park.
Earlier this year, Norwich received a $4 million brownfields
remediation grant to begin demolition of the first Capehart buildings. The
entire demolition and park development was estimated to cost $15 million.
“No matter what happens in the future, at least we have
secured all the funding required to scrape that blight off the face of the
Greeneville neighborhood,” Brown said.
“We are extremely pleased with this outcome,” Mayor Peter
Nystrom said Tuesday. “The Capehart (grant) will be a tremendous lift when you
match it with the $4 million in brownfields money we already received. We’ll be
able to take down all the buildings and clean up the property. It’s just an
opportunity to lift that whole area, which I think is really, really
important.”
State Sen. Cathy Osten D-Sprague, whose district includes
Norwich, said waterfront improvements will come at a critical time for downtown
Norwich. Several housing developments are underway that will bring dozens of
new apartments downtown. The waterfront will be an attractive draw for new
residents and will bring in visitors to city restaurants and shops.
The Greeneville cleanup will come as the new Greeneville
School is slated to begin construction. Capehart has been plagued by arson
fires and has attracted homeless people.
“Capehart, that’s a true public safety issue,” Osten said.
“We can’t continue to allow fires and other things to happen there.”
State Rep. Derell Wilson, D-Norwich, who grew up and still
lives in Greeneville just two blocks away from Capehart, said he was excited
about both grants continuing the city’s economic revitalization.
“The Capehart Mill project is a game-changer to the
rebuilding of this amazing neighborhood,” Wilson said Tuesday.
The Route 32 Montville money will help plan for the
revitalization of the Palmertown and Uncasville areas of town, said state Rep.
Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme, whose district includes Montville.
“These funds are incredibly important in boosting local
infrastructure to help make that section of Montville a more vibrant,
business-friendly community,” said Cheeseman in a news release.
State Sen. Martha Marx, D-New London, whose district
includes Montville, also welcomed the funding to her district.
“It’s wonderful news that our region will receive this
important funding for community-supporting projects like these,” Marx said in a
news release. “I’m grateful to the Community Investment Fund’s leadership for
their vision and dedication to our state’s cities and towns, as these projects
offer new resources and relief for local residents.”
$7.5M considered for community projects in region
PAUL HUGHES
HARTFORD — The Community Investment Fund Board on Tuesday
recommended $7.5 million in state funding for economic and community
development projects in Waterbury, Winchester, Torrington, Thomaston and
Plymouth.
The 21-member board recommended nearly $75 million for
projects in 23 towns and cities at its fall meeting. Gov. Ned Lamont will now
review the recommendations and determine which ones he will submit to the State
Bond Commission for funding.
Community Partners in Action in Waterbury was recommended
for a $1,950,759 grant for capital improvements for its alternative
incarceration and transitional housing programs in the city.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury was recommended
for a $250,000 planning grant for its Crownbrook neighborhood redevelopment
project focused on expanding affordable housing in the city.
The town of Plymouth was recommended for a $1.7 million
planning grant to support its downtown transformational plan. A consultant,
Goman & York, has met with residents, local officials and business owners,
and conducted a townwide survey about what people want for downtown. A draft
report presented in June recommended the town improve its downtown with better
landscaping, signs, marketing and maintenance.
The town of Thomaston was recommended for a $2 million grant
to help fund the renovation and restoration of the Thomaston Opera House.
The Winsted Health Center Inc. was recommended for a $1.6
million grant for predevelopment costs of its Winsted Housing and Advanced
MakerSpace project to create a mixed-use housing and job skills training
development facility geared toward veterans.
The Warner Theatre in Torrington was recommended for a $1.5
million grant for renovations and upgrades to the historic Warner Theatre.
The theater plans to use the funding to renovate its
building, lobby and stage, including HVAC systems. Sound, lighting, security
and smoke-alarm systems will be modernized. The theater will also be made more
accessible.
Established in 2021, the Community Investment Fund 2030 is a
bond-supported, state grant program established to support economic development
in historically underserved communities across Connecticut.
It is open to eligible municipalities, community development
corporations and nonprofits.
A 21-member Community Investment Fund Board reviews funding
proposals and recommends projects to the governor for consideration for funding
by the State Bond Commission.
The commission must consider the governor’s recommended bond
allocations within two months after Community Investment Fund Board makes its
funding recommendation to the governor.
The legislature and Lamont authorized $875 million in state
bonding to support the grant program for its first five years. This is its
fifth round of funding.
Grants are available for:
Capital improvement programs, such as brownfield remediation, affordable
housing, infrastructure, clean energy development, and home or public facility
rehabilitation
Small business capital programs, including revolving or
micro loan programs, gap financing, and startups funds to establish small
businesses
Planning for capital projects including activities such as
community engagement processes, feasibility studies, development of project
plan and construction budget.