To the Editor:
The Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) public meeting on Jan. 15 in Oxford concerning the proposed CPV Towantic Energy gas/oil power plant provided Oxford, Middlebury, Southbury and Naugatuck residents the opportunity to express their views. The vast majority of speakers spoke emotionally of their objections on topics such as air and water pollution, health concerns, water supply, airport safety, fossil fuel use, reduced quality of life, decreased property values, maintaining the rural character and charm, traffic congestion, visibility and noise concerns, etc. Also, the loud but orderly applause that followed many of these speakers clearly showed overwhelming public opinion that the Oxford site is not suited for one of the largest (785-megawatts) power plants in Connecticut.
The CSC deliberation process continues with evidentiary hearings involving CPV and all of the pre-approved parties and intervenors and culminates in a CSC decision at the end of the hearings. Public participation in this is still a vital part of the process.
Case in point, in Walpole, Mass., in 2008, CPV dropped its plan to locate a 580-megawatt power plant in part because of a year of public opposition. Braith Kelley, CPV vice president, speaking of the community lack of acceptance, stated, “We are not going to the state because we are not going to shove this project down people’s throats.”
It cannot be stressed enough how important your worries and concerns are to the CSC decision-making process. Please take a moment and view www.StopTowanticPower.com and learn how easy it is to send simple letters to the CSC and your elected representatives on many different topics. Every single letter is vitally important to help stop this power plant!
Jerry Fogel
Oxford
Feb. 5, 2015
