State Sen. Joan Hartley, left, talks to attorney Steve Savarese outside the Connecticut Siting Council in New Britain Nov. 13. (Terrence S. McAuliffe photo)
About 100 residents of Oxford, Middlebury, Southbury and Naugatuck gathered at the Connecticut Siting Council in New Britain Nov. 13 to protest an application by Massachusetts-based Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) to build a power plant near the Oxford Airport off Woodruff Hill Road. Approval from the council is necessary for CPV’s request to expand to 805 megawatts the permits issued in 1999 for a 512-megawatt plant. The council decided to reopen the docket and schedule a series of public hearings on conditions that have changed since the original approvals.
Nearly 15 years ago, the Town of Middlebury and some of its citizens loudly, and in some cases with legal action, protested the building of a large power plant within 500 feet of the Middlebury town line and very close to Middlebury homes in the Washington Drive area. Although the plant was approved, construction never started. Now CPV proposes to begin construction of the plant.
Oxford First Selectman George Temple has spoken in favor of the plant because of its construction jobs and tax benefits, but Middlebury First Selectman Edward B. St. John spoke against it at the Aug. 4, 2014, Board of Selectmen meeting, saying, “We will fight the fight. We fought it before and we will fight it again.” The selectmen appointed Ray Pietrorazio as liaison to the airport and the power plant project. Pietrorazio and attorney Steve Savarese attended the Nov. 13 meeting as intervenors representing the interests of the town.
Now a broad coalition of Oxford residents operating under the name “Stop Towantic Power,” has responded to the proposed Towantic Power Plant at Oxford Airport by issuing a press release saying natural gas (and oil) power plants add dangerous pollutants to the air that seriously impact the health of people within a 10-mile radius. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has linked air pollutants with cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, respiratory symptoms, reproductive issues and birth defects. The following statements are attributable to Stop Towantic Power.
The plant also will create water problems, both in sourcing and disposal. When operating on natural gas, it will consume 40,000 gallons per day; in oil mode, it will use 750,000 gallons per day. Stop Towantic Power believes that consuming such a large amount of water could disrupt our aquifer and cause water shortages. That water, which is used to scrub the two 150-foot stacks, will ultimately be discharged into the Naugatuck River, contaminating it and harming fish, plants and wildlife.
Connecticut has signed a Department of Energy pledge to the 20/20 program: 20 percent of its energy coming from renewable sources by the year 2020. We are currently at 3 percent. The construction of the Towantic Power Plant would render that goal unachievable. It is also out of step with the federal government’s recommendation of building micro-energy plants as opposed to macro-energy producers.
National research studies have shown property values will decline, offsetting any increase in tax revenue; air traffic will experience additional risks from the extremely hot plume being emitted from the smokestacks; and a safety risk will be introduced into populated areas.
Stop Towantic Power urges concerned citizens to write to the Connecticut Siting Council (Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051), their state and federal legislative representatives, local media and especially to Oxford town officials to express their displeasure and disapproval.
The group is encouraging people to attend a Thursday, Dec. 11, rally in New Britain at the Connecticut Siting Council. Details will be published on their web site, stoptowanticpower.com.
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