Enbridge to invest $300M, expand natgas delivery capacity to Northeast
Enbridge owner of the Algonquin Pipeline, announced a $300M
investment in the Algonquin Reliable Affordable Resilient Enhancement project
to beef up pipeline capacity to the Northeast including Massachusetts where
Governor Maura Healey once proudly boasted “Remember, I stopped two pipelines
coming to this state.”
Enbridge expects the additional capacity to be complete by
2029, “subject to the timely receipt of the required government and regulatory
approvals.”
Last week the Trump
administration cancelled a $33M Salem pier offshore wind grant in favor of
"real infrastructure."
“Once completed, AGT Enhancement will deliver approximately
75 Mmcf/d of incremental natural gas, under long-term contracts, to investment
grade counterparties in the U.S. Northeast,” according to Enbridge.
The pipeline project announced today (which adds capacity
but not a new pipeline) does not rely on state or federal grant money. Overall
Trump has been hostile to offshore wind, including halting
construction entirely at Revolution Wind off the coast of Martha’s
Vineyard last month.
"We continue to deliver on the $23 billion of Gas
Transmission opportunities we laid out at our Investor Day in March. Today's
project announcements highlight the benefits of Enbridge's scale and
demonstrate our ability to support growing natural gas demand in the U.S.
Northeast, and LNG exports from the U.S. Gulf Coast," said Cynthia Hansen,
Executive Vice President and President, Gas Transmission, "these
investments add visibility to, and extend, our growth outlook through the end
of the decade."
New Haven prepares for road upgrades from the green to Route 80, but some have concerns
NEW HAVEN — The city announced the start of a $1.87 million
project to add traffic calming measures on Foxon Boulevard, the day after the
Board of Alders accepted $4 million to initiate a similar project to update
roads around the downtown New Haven Green.
Both projects were touted by officials for the potential to
improve safety. But others called out the project around the green in
particular, saying it's just an attempt to appease Yale University students
without regard for others, including the local unhoused population.
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett
Eucalitto, whose department provided a majority
of the funds for the Foxon Boulevard project, said at a Wednesday press
event that many roads in the state, like Foxon Boulevard, were "built
before the interstate era" and the state must "make the changes to
make it reflect the new reality."
Construction, which began earlier this week, will add four
medians to create a greater sense of scale for turning vehicles, four speed
tables to dissuade drag racing and excessive speeds, more illumination fixtures
and an extended sidewalk and crosswalk to connect the Walmart plaza with the
opposite side of the street.
Traffic on Foxon Boulevard has had deadly consequences over
the years. Last month, Jaime
Melendez-Martinez, 58, was fatally struck while crossing the street.
Mayor Justin Elicker said roughly 27,000 vehicles drive on
Foxon Boulevard daily on average, "a huge amount of traffic."
"This isn't the most inviting stretch for
pedestrians," he said from the Walmart parking lot at Wednesday's press
event. "One fatality is too many."
State Rep. Roland Lemar said, from speaking to constituents
across his district, it is apparent to him that major thoroughfares are viewed
by neighbors as "building blocks for communities" rather than
"traffic movers." He said residents don't ask for the opportunity to
speed to work, but rather to have safe, connected communities.
State Rep. Al Paolillo said the city's delegation
intends on continuing to invest in infrastructure projects.
"We're not only connecting the community, but now these
traffic-calming projects are connecting to each other," Paolillo said.
The night prior, the city's Board of Alders voted
unanimously to approve $4 million in congressionally directed spending funds
for a project to update streets around the green. Included in the plans for
that project is the installation of raised crossings and intersections at the
eight main entry points to the New Haven Green, and alterations to Temple
Street to restore a historic cross section.
Alder Eli Sabin, D-7, whose ward surrounds the green and who
previously represented Ward 1, which includes the green, during his time as an
undergraduate student at Yale University, spoke in favor of the funding, saying
it would “help make the green more accessible and safer for everybody.”
The overall lack of discussion around the item before its
passage, plus the references to increasing safety, upset activists for the
unhoused and preservationists who attended Tuesday's meeting to observe.
"They're coming up with reasons to exclude us,"
said Jorell Alford, who is unhoused and said the green is one of the safest
places for her and others to sleep at night because of its centrality and
proximity to Yale. She said that money being spend on "appeasing Yale
students" who attend one of the wealthiest American universities could be
better spent on making the green safer and more accessible for the rest of the
public, including the unhoused population.
Alford said the community of unhoused people who congregate
around the green have "decorum" because there is an understanding
that panhandling or causing a disturbance could create consequences for more
people.
"They make us feel like villains and criminals. No one
is bothering anybody, they're just going to harass us now," she said.
Alford said the unhoused are the ones who are vulnerable, and the resources and
security cameras make it so the green is one of the safest places for them.
"We are vulnerable. We're the unsafe ones."
Sun Queen, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter New Haven and
a supporter of the Unhoused Activists Community Team coalition, said that in
the discussion of safety there was no mention of adding public restrooms or
water fountains.
"I don't think there was a lot of outreach with the
community being at the table," she said.
Anstress Farwell, president of the New Haven Urban Design
League, also questioned the mention of history design, arguing that the
project's plan to move bus stops from Temple Street would increase the amount
of pressure on Church Street, accomplishing the opposite effect of the goal to
increase traffic safety. She said the city had not been inclusive and
transparent during its planning process.
Both Queen and Farwell said the city only held one
meeting in December for community input, which did not reflect the amount of
engagement necessary for such a project.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero said
Wednesday that the city's efforts extend back over a decade, and there have
been numerous stakeholder meetings over that time.
"There are lots and lots of stakeholders for the
green," she said.
Officials said the Foxon Boulevard project has also been a
wishlist item for New Haven for roughly 15 years. City Engineer Giovanni Zinn
said Wednesday that the city had a meeting 18 to 24 months ago with the
community to solicit feedback as the wheels began turning on sources for
funding.
"It was something very much looked-forward to by people
in the community," he said.
Newtown deal with Boston developer for Fairfield Hills buildings hinges on language in 99-year lease
NEWTOWN – The makeover of
two former
hospital buildings into apartments and shops depends on Newtown and a Boston
developer agreeing on a 99-year lease for land around the historic
Fairfield Hills structures.
“There’s issues with language in the lease that they don’t
agree with,” said Jeff Capeci, Newtown’s first selectman, referring to a plan
to sell two buildings to WinnDevelopment and lease
the surrounding property long term. “I don’t think there is a
risk of losing the deal.”
Town leaders and representatives from Winn planned to meet
Tuesday to discuss the outstanding issues, which Capeci would not specify.
“I fully believe that we are negotiating in good faith,”
Capeci said Tuesday. “I am hopeful by the end of the month we will have an
agreement.”
A WinnDevelopment spokesman agreed that the two sides were
close to a deal.
“Discussions are ongoing and we’re hopeful the parties can
reach agreement,” Ed Cafasso said.
The plan represents the biggest reconstruction project at
Fairfield Hills since Newtown brought the 185-acre buildings and grounds in
2004 — although the campus has seen important changes: The demolition of 30
buildings and the construction of new ones, including the Newtown
Community Center and Senior Center.
The plan also represents what would be the first private
investment in the Fairfield Hills campus since the National Park Service listed
the former state hospital grounds on the National
Register of Historic Places in 2024.
Fairfield Hills’ status as a federal landmark district
means Winn can take advantage of tax credits that would help absorb the cost of
remediating the buildings.
“There’s a lot you have to remediate,” Capeci said of the
two buildings in question — a 200,000-square-foot structure called Kent House
built in1940 and a 90,000-square-foot structure called Shelton House built in
1933. “There’s lead in the paint, and there’s asbestos in the tile.”
Although the number of apartments won’t be decided until
Winn reaches a deal with Newtown and the developer goes through the local land
use process, Winn has suggested a total of 169 apartments could be built in the
vacant structures.
Before that happens, the two sides have to agree on terms of
the lease.
Capeci, who is negotiating on behalf of the Fairfield Hills
Authority, would need to seek approval for any deal with Winn from the Board of
Selectmen and from the Legislative Council.
Once that happens, Capeci doesn’t expect construction to
begin for at least one year.
Old Lyme Delays and State Officials Threaten on Sewer Timeline
OLD LYME — The town’s Board of Selectmen declined to set a
date for a referendum to raise the cap on borrowing to install sewers in Sound
View, despite warnings by
the state that the town could lose a multimillion-dollar forgivable loan to
help cover the growing costs of the work.
The Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday with only two items on
the agenda: calling a referendum to raise the town’s borrowing cap to $17.1
million and a sewer ordinance. Both issues were postponed to future meetings.
First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker said the town still had
outstanding questions related to the state’s affordability calculation for the
project, the cost-sharing agreement and the cost estimates.
“I think we’re close, but we’re not there,” Shoemaker said.
“I’m not prepared to send this to a referendum.”
Shoemaker proposed that the town hire an independent
accountant with construction experience to review the estimates of Old Lyme
Water and Pollution Control Authority chair Steve Cinami, who was not present
at the meeting.
The decision to delay flies in the face of recent warnings
sent by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. On
Aug. 15, DEEP Deputy Commissioner Emma Cimino emailed Shoemaker a timeline of
milestones the town was expected to meet, warning that the town’s failure to do
so could result in the loss of a significant sum of money the agency has
offered the town to complete the long-stalled project.
DEEP has offered to
cover 50% of the cost, combining a a grant and a forgivable loan.
Selectman Jim Lampos, a homeowner in the area affected by
the project, took the lead at the meeting to explain why the town should not
yet move to a referendum.
“I’m here to say tonight that as we see these numbers, this
project is unaffordable,” said Lampos, taking aim at the state agency for
“threatening” to cut their funding, as if it were a favor or a “charity we
should be grateful” for.
Lampos said that three things had to be accomplished before
calling a referendum: Approve the sewer ordinance, complete the cost-sharing
agreement and have clear project numbers.
According to Lampos, the drafted sewer ordinance addressed
their main concerns, which were to make it clear that residents affected by
this project would not have to pay for the costs of future sewer expansions
into other areas.
The planned sewer construction includes Sound View and Area
B and three private beach associations — Old Colony, Old Lyme Shores and Miami
Beach.
Regarding the cost-sharing agreement, which establishes how
to divide the cost of operating and maintaining the system between town
residents and private beaches, Lampos said that some aspects still needed to be
discussed.
Lampos described some of the provisions included in the
cost-sharing agreement as “unacceptable,” including that Sound View and Area B
residents should pay 31% of the connection fee to New London, a percentage
he called inflated, suggesting instead that the operation and maintenance costs
be allocated according to usage. Lampos also said a seat on the committee
created by the cost-sharing agreement should be assigned to a Sound View
resident, rather than to a representative of the town’s WPCA.
“I don’t think I have to explain to everybody that we don’t
really have faith in the WPCA representing our interests,” Lampos said. “The
voice people from Sound View need a representative. I don’t see how this is a
radical communist proposition.”
Regarding costs, Lampos said he had spoken with Cinami
before last week’s informational meeting and had agreed with him on an estimate
based on shared criteria. But, according to Lampos, that was not the estimate
that was presented.
The project still faces the hurdle of bidding for the
partnering chartered beach communities. Old Lyme Shores has not yet gone out
for bids. Miami Beach received its bids in August and
is reviewing them. If either of those communities drops out, the cost to sewer
the beach communities would be still higher for the remaining participants.
Selectman Jude Read agreed that the town were not yet ready
to move to referendum and called for a broader review of the project.
“This project’s been going on for well over ten years.
Technology has changed, population has changed, science has changed, climate
has changed,” Read said. “What they asked for twelve years ago is not
necessarily applicable now, but we have to work together to come up with a
solution to move forward.”
At town hall, more than 20 residents applauded when the
meeting ended.
Lampos afterward told CT Examiner that the referendum was
“by no means” dead.
“We’re still trying to move as quickly as we possibly can
and to have this done in a timely fashion. I’m hoping that we can resolve some
of the issues that we outlined today,” Lampos said. “I think there’s a lot to
talk to DEEP about, but we still have a two-week period where we can get this
done.”
Dennis Melluzzo, a member of the Old Lyme WPCA and homeowner
in Sound View, was one of those celebrating at the end.
“Today was a victory for us,” Melluzzo said. “It might be a
minor victory, but it was a victory.”
Melluzzo noted that selectmen showed openness to considering
options other than sewers and attributed this to the public’s involvement in
recent meetings to voice their opposition to the project.
“I don’t believe there’s going to be a referendum before the
elections,” Melluzzo said.
Skilled trades initiatives expand as demand for workers is projected to grow
Organizations are launching programs aimed at expanding
access to skilled trades at a time when the federal government is predicting
above-average growth in these jobs over the next decade.
The BLS Occupational
Outlook Handbook, which includes information on about 600 occupations, says
the need for HVAC-R mechanics and installers is expected to grow 8% and add
about 40,100 openings per year through 2034. That’s “much faster than the
average for all occupations,” BLS says.
Electrician employment is projected to grow 9% in that time,
with about 81,000 openings projected each year, on average, over the decade,
BLS says.
The need for plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters and general
maintenance and repair workers is projected to grow 4% in the next decade,
according to the data.
“Many of these openings are expected to result from the need
to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor
force,” BLS says.
Private-sector initiatives
To help expand pipelines into these roles, organizations are
investing in programs that can help workers pursue skilled trades.
Last month, Schneider Electric announced a $100,000
investment in The SkillPointe Foundation that will make $3,000
grants available to individuals seeking training in building energy
management, automation and related high-demand fields.
The Atlanta-based initiative builds on scholarship programs
previously launched in Boston, Dallas and New York City, SkillPointe said.
“Skilled career scholarships unlock life-changing opportunities — not just for
individuals, but for companies and communities across America,” Alvin Townley,
founding executive director of the SkillPointe Foundation, said in a
statement.
Also last month, the Home Depot Foundation announced a $10
million investment to broaden
access to skilled trades training, including a $1 million partnership
with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to introduce more young people to career
opportunities in the construction trades.
Through the Foundation’s Path to Pro program,
the partnership with BGCA launches a two-year pilot in Atlanta, Phoenix and
Houston to introduce more than 1,000 children and teens to careers in
carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing, the Foundation says. Grants will also
support veterans enrolling in accredited trade schools.
Despite a growing number of jobs in the skilled construction
trades, only a fraction of young workers entering the labor market express
interest in pursuing careers in these fields, a
Harris poll released in July found.
“Only 38% of Gen Z says skilled trades offer the best job
opportunities today” and “only 36% strongly agree skilled trades offer a faster
and more affordable path to a good career,” the report says.
Bottom of Form
A Business Roundtable workforce initiative announced this
summer, led by the CEOs of Carrier and Lowe’s, will also focus
on trades in industrial and manufacturing, construction and building,
maintenance and repair, and energy.
Overall employment of facilities managers and administrative
services positions is set to grow 4%, with about 36,400 openings projected in
that time, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.