The Connecticut Post Online - Clean water needs: "Clean water needs
Connecticut needs to rededicate itself to cleaning up our rivers and our precious natural resource of Long Island Sound.
State lawmakers can mightily aid this cause — and a goodly number of the communities they represent — by boosting bonding for the state's Clean Water Fund that aids municipalities with grants and low-cost loans.
Clean Water Fund grants and loans aid municipal and regional projects such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades, combined sewer separation work and nitrogen reduction programs. Those projects assure cleaner drinking water, less sewage in our rivers and harbors and a healthier Long Island Sound, both for aquaculture and recreation.
The irony is that while such projects benefit the vast majority of residents and provide for a cleaner environment for us all, the state during the past decade has been miserly in approving increased bonding for the fund."
Monday, March 26, 2007
courant.com | Pulling Power From Wood
courant.com | Pulling Power From Wood: "Fuel cells, windmills and solar panels are usually considered the way of the future for meeting the ever-growing demand for electricity.
Burning wood, on the other hand, seems downright old-fashioned.
But that ancient source of energy is getting renewed attention in Connecticut and other New England states as they try to look for renewable sources of power to replace fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas."
Burning wood, on the other hand, seems downright old-fashioned.
But that ancient source of energy is getting renewed attention in Connecticut and other New England states as they try to look for renewable sources of power to replace fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas."
courant.com | Back To Environmental Basics: Reinvesting In Clean Water
courant.com | Back To Environmental Basics: Reinvesting In Clean WaterBack To Environmental Basics: Reinvesting In Clean Water
March 25, 2007
By CURTIS P. JOHNSON, and FAITH GAVIN KUHN
Environmentalists and members of the construction industry are often at odds. In the case of clean water, however, the industry and environmentalists are like-minded.
A coalition of statewide and regional organizations, including environmental organizations, construction companies, business organizations, labor groups and municipalities, supports a re-investment in environmental basics: sewage-free rivers and harbors and a healthy, restored Long Island Sound.
The state must get back on track to enjoying healthy and clean waters in our lifetime while creating jobs and boosting economic development. This will require an investment of about $150 million in the Clean Water Fund for 2008.
Many years ago, state leaders committed to some simple and essential clean water goals. The state and municipalities agreed on a plan to stop raw sewage from overflowing into streams, rivers and harbors by 2020.
Connecticut, New York and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to work together to restore the low-oxygen "dead zone" in Long Island Sound by 2014."
March 25, 2007
By CURTIS P. JOHNSON, and FAITH GAVIN KUHN
Environmentalists and members of the construction industry are often at odds. In the case of clean water, however, the industry and environmentalists are like-minded.
A coalition of statewide and regional organizations, including environmental organizations, construction companies, business organizations, labor groups and municipalities, supports a re-investment in environmental basics: sewage-free rivers and harbors and a healthy, restored Long Island Sound.
The state must get back on track to enjoying healthy and clean waters in our lifetime while creating jobs and boosting economic development. This will require an investment of about $150 million in the Clean Water Fund for 2008.
Many years ago, state leaders committed to some simple and essential clean water goals. The state and municipalities agreed on a plan to stop raw sewage from overflowing into streams, rivers and harbors by 2020.
Connecticut, New York and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to work together to restore the low-oxygen "dead zone" in Long Island Sound by 2014."
The Advocate - Improved bus service could be arriving soon
The Advocate - Improved bus service could be arriving soon: "Bus operators are promising more routes, commuter shuttles at train stations and other improvements if the Connecticut legislature adopts the findings of a statewide bus study.
Most of the changes would focus on extending the hours and frequency of existing intercity bus routes such as the I-Bus between Stamford and White Plains, N.Y., and the Coastal Link between Norwalk and Milford, operators said after the study was released last week.
Conducted by a coalition called Transit for Connecticut, the study is credible because it has the support of business and environmental groups such as the Business Council of Fairfield County and Connecticut Fund for the Environment, said Louis Schulman, district administrator for Norwalk Transit."
Most of the changes would focus on extending the hours and frequency of existing intercity bus routes such as the I-Bus between Stamford and White Plains, N.Y., and the Coastal Link between Norwalk and Milford, operators said after the study was released last week.
Conducted by a coalition called Transit for Connecticut, the study is credible because it has the support of business and environmental groups such as the Business Council of Fairfield County and Connecticut Fund for the Environment, said Louis Schulman, district administrator for Norwalk Transit."
Friday, March 23, 2007
A Push For Public Transportation _ The Newtown Bee
The Newtown Bee: "A Push For Public Transportation
It has united the Business Council of Fairfield County and the Connecticut Fund for the Environment. It has been a favorite topic for years for politicians interested in getting the attention of apathetic voters. And it is an issue that, if not addressed, has the potential to undermine the state's economy and erode Connecticut's vaunted quality of life. So it does not surprise us that yet another study has been released that calls for increased state support of public transportation - in this case, bus transportation.
A coalition of groups, from business leaders to environmental groups, calling itself the Transit for Connecticut Coalition, this week unveiled its study that showed increased bus transit in the state will enhance responsible growth of the state's communities and increase transit options for commuters by upgrading the bus-rail system. It will also reduce automobile emissions and help clear the air of toxic, global-warming emissions, and it will better link the state's workforce with employment opportunities while reducing traffic congestion. These are all great points, but by now advocates of public transportation are preaching to the choir. Most people are already convinced -especially people living in Fairfield County who back in 2003 spent about 50 hours sitting in traffic, according to a study released two years ago. It is a safe bet that today we are wasting even more time and burning even more gas going nowhere.
The state's $1.3 billion initiative approved by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2005 was supposed to be a bold first step in addressing Connecticut's chronic transportation woes, but as has been our tradition and history, highway repair, expansion, and construction seems to consume most of the money spent on transportation in this state.
Connecticut's own Transportation Strategy Board has spelled out a detailed plan for revitalizing the state's underfunded and overburdened public transportation network, including a bus-rail commuter system and freight rail lines. This plan, together with smart growth policies that provide incentives for more high-density commercial and residential development around public transit stations, may yet loosen the stranglehold traffic congestion has on the economy and the quality of life in southwestern Connecticut. But if that is to happen, the legislature and the governor have to follow through with the money and the political commitment to create and sustain a viable public transportation system in Connecticut."
It has united the Business Council of Fairfield County and the Connecticut Fund for the Environment. It has been a favorite topic for years for politicians interested in getting the attention of apathetic voters. And it is an issue that, if not addressed, has the potential to undermine the state's economy and erode Connecticut's vaunted quality of life. So it does not surprise us that yet another study has been released that calls for increased state support of public transportation - in this case, bus transportation.
A coalition of groups, from business leaders to environmental groups, calling itself the Transit for Connecticut Coalition, this week unveiled its study that showed increased bus transit in the state will enhance responsible growth of the state's communities and increase transit options for commuters by upgrading the bus-rail system. It will also reduce automobile emissions and help clear the air of toxic, global-warming emissions, and it will better link the state's workforce with employment opportunities while reducing traffic congestion. These are all great points, but by now advocates of public transportation are preaching to the choir. Most people are already convinced -especially people living in Fairfield County who back in 2003 spent about 50 hours sitting in traffic, according to a study released two years ago. It is a safe bet that today we are wasting even more time and burning even more gas going nowhere.
The state's $1.3 billion initiative approved by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2005 was supposed to be a bold first step in addressing Connecticut's chronic transportation woes, but as has been our tradition and history, highway repair, expansion, and construction seems to consume most of the money spent on transportation in this state.
Connecticut's own Transportation Strategy Board has spelled out a detailed plan for revitalizing the state's underfunded and overburdened public transportation network, including a bus-rail commuter system and freight rail lines. This plan, together with smart growth policies that provide incentives for more high-density commercial and residential development around public transit stations, may yet loosen the stranglehold traffic congestion has on the economy and the quality of life in southwestern Connecticut. But if that is to happen, the legislature and the governor have to follow through with the money and the political commitment to create and sustain a viable public transportation system in Connecticut."
A collection of briefs from the state Capitol - Boston.com
A collection of briefs from the state Capitol - Boston.comHARTFORD, Conn. --Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Thursday she opposes the idea of making Connecticut's legislature full-time.
"Where on earth are the legislature's priorities," the Republican governor asked. "They have been in session for two and a half months -- 79 days now -- and they have produced exactly one bill for my signature."
Democrats currently control the legislature. The Government Administration and Elections Committee is planning an informational hearing on the issue of a full-time legislature. Proponents said the idea makes sense considering the conflicts of interest many lawmakers have with their private employment and legislation they handle."
"Where on earth are the legislature's priorities," the Republican governor asked. "They have been in session for two and a half months -- 79 days now -- and they have produced exactly one bill for my signature."
Democrats currently control the legislature. The Government Administration and Elections Committee is planning an informational hearing on the issue of a full-time legislature. Proponents said the idea makes sense considering the conflicts of interest many lawmakers have with their private employment and legislation they handle."
The East Hampton Star - Schools
The East Hampton Star - Schools: "According to Dr. Kenny, Stony Brook Southampton’s interim dean, Martin Schoonen, and a host of other officials at Monday’s lunch, starting from the ground up will allow the school to form a “sustainability” program surpassing that at Arizona State University, which Dr. Kenny described as the only other college in the country that has embraced the concept."
courant.com | Climate Battle Reaches Vermont
courant.com | Climate Battle Reaches Vermont: "BURLINGTON, Vt. -- This would seem an improbable venue for a fight over auto emissions and global warming. Average temperatures have been colder than normal for the past month, and Vermont has fewer registered motor vehicles than any other state.
But in a fifth-floor federal courtroom here, the first trial in what could be a long legal battle over the issue is scheduled to begin next month.
It pits the auto industry against Vermont and several environmental groups over a plan to reduce greenhouse gases that cause global warming by setting limits on emissions from cars, vans, pickups and SUVs."
But in a fifth-floor federal courtroom here, the first trial in what could be a long legal battle over the issue is scheduled to begin next month.
It pits the auto industry against Vermont and several environmental groups over a plan to reduce greenhouse gases that cause global warming by setting limits on emissions from cars, vans, pickups and SUVs."
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
News Times Live State urged to put buses on the roads
News Times Live State urged to put buses on the roadsToo many people are driving on the state's roads.
"I-95 is a traffic nightmare," Karen Burnaska, coordinator of Transit for Connecticut, said Tuesday. "I-84 is becoming almost as congested."
In a report issued Monday, Transit for Connecticut asked the state to take some of those cars off the road by increasing state spending on bus transportation by nearly $280 million over the next five years.
The report said this would help the state's economy, its residents and the environment by creating a more mobile workforce without adding cars to the highways.
"I-95 is a traffic nightmare," Karen Burnaska, coordinator of Transit for Connecticut, said Tuesday. "I-84 is becoming almost as congested."
In a report issued Monday, Transit for Connecticut asked the state to take some of those cars off the road by increasing state spending on bus transportation by nearly $280 million over the next five years.
The report said this would help the state's economy, its residents and the environment by creating a more mobile workforce without adding cars to the highways.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
courant.com | A Plan For Mass Transit
courant.com | A Plan For Mass TransitMass transit advocates on Monday unveiled a $309 million plan aimed at comprehensively enhancing commuter bus service statewide over five years.
Transit for Connecticut, a coalition of 20-plus business, social service, environmental and transportation organizations, said at a state Capitol news conference that a fairly modest state investment could boost bus ridership by 80 percent.
In 2006, more than 35 million riders used state-subsidized bus service, up 5 percent from the previous year.
State Sen. Donald J. DeFronzo, D-New Britain, co-chairman of the General Assembly's transportation committee, said the proposal would reduce highway congestion and pollution and improve state economic development.
Transit for Connecticut recommends expanding express bus services to major employment centers, and increasing operating hours and frequency of service on heavily used and overcrowded routes. ...
"If we do nothing, we will be losing ground," DeFronzo said. "We really ought to be moving forward."
Transit for Connecticut, a coalition of 20-plus business, social service, environmental and transportation organizations, said at a state Capitol news conference that a fairly modest state investment could boost bus ridership by 80 percent.
In 2006, more than 35 million riders used state-subsidized bus service, up 5 percent from the previous year.
State Sen. Donald J. DeFronzo, D-New Britain, co-chairman of the General Assembly's transportation committee, said the proposal would reduce highway congestion and pollution and improve state economic development.
Transit for Connecticut recommends expanding express bus services to major employment centers, and increasing operating hours and frequency of service on heavily used and overcrowded routes. ...
"If we do nothing, we will be losing ground," DeFronzo said. "We really ought to be moving forward."
courant.com | Advocates Push Bus Plan
courant.com | Advocates Push Bus PlanMass transit advocates on Monday unveiled a five-year, $309 million plan for enhancing commuter bus service statewide that they say would boost the number of riders significantly.
Transit for Connecticut -- a New Haven-based coalition of 20-plus business, social service, environmental and transportation organizations across Connecticut -- recommends the state expand express bus services to major employment centers, and increase operating hours and frequency of service on heavily traveled routes. It's also urging increased weekend and evening bus service, expanded Dial-A-Ride options, more commuter connections with rail stations, and increased interregional service to improve access to jobs. ...
Curt Johnson, of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, said investing in clean diesel bus systems could reduce dangerous emissions 80 to 90 percent by 2010.
Transit for Connecticut -- a New Haven-based coalition of 20-plus business, social service, environmental and transportation organizations across Connecticut -- recommends the state expand express bus services to major employment centers, and increase operating hours and frequency of service on heavily traveled routes. It's also urging increased weekend and evening bus service, expanded Dial-A-Ride options, more commuter connections with rail stations, and increased interregional service to improve access to jobs. ...
Curt Johnson, of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, said investing in clean diesel bus systems could reduce dangerous emissions 80 to 90 percent by 2010.
Pair seeks Cheshire bio-fuel facility
New Haven Register - Pair seeks Cheshire bio-fuel facilityTwo partners in a pair of home heating oil companies are hoping to open a facility on Sandbank Road that makes bio-fuel.
If they get all the necessary approvals from town officials, Christopher Carr and Edward Bowman hope to have their manufacturing facility running by June. The facility would be on the grounds of Village Oil, which the two men own jointly along with F and S Oil in Waterbury.
If they get all the necessary approvals from town officials, Christopher Carr and Edward Bowman hope to have their manufacturing facility running by June. The facility would be on the grounds of Village Oil, which the two men own jointly along with F and S Oil in Waterbury.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Companies Turn 'Green' Strategies into Gold -- Business New Haven
03/19/2007 Companies Turn 'Green' Strategies into Gold Business New Haven: "Area entrepreneurs leverage consumers' growing appetite for environmentally friendly products"
We must save the planet _ Bridgeport News
Hometown Publications: "Several Connecticut municipalities have committed to clean energy, according to the state's Climate Change website. Others have pledged to sign up customers for the Clean Energy Options program that demands electricity suppliers pull clean energy from the regional electricity grid.
I hope municipalities such as Bridgeport will pledge to move in the direction of clean energy that would put a stumbling block in the path of global warming.
It may cost a lot at first to convert to cleaner energy and break the dependence on oil, natural gas or coal. But it is an expense that will pay off in years to come; an expense we can't afford not to fund.
Using renewable energy sources will lighten our atmosphere and ensure a safer future for our children and grandchildren.
This column reflects the opinion of Hometown Editor Susan Hunter and does not necessarily represent the views of Hometown Publications.
"
I hope municipalities such as Bridgeport will pledge to move in the direction of clean energy that would put a stumbling block in the path of global warming.
It may cost a lot at first to convert to cleaner energy and break the dependence on oil, natural gas or coal. But it is an expense that will pay off in years to come; an expense we can't afford not to fund.
Using renewable energy sources will lighten our atmosphere and ensure a safer future for our children and grandchildren.
This column reflects the opinion of Hometown Editor Susan Hunter and does not necessarily represent the views of Hometown Publications.
"
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Bridgeport News _ Shelton, Conn.
Hometown Publications: "Scientists from 113 countries said they are 90 percent certain that burning fossil fuel is causing the Earth's warming.
The effects of global warming can be reduced, according to the panel's report about how and why the planet is warming. The panel will release another report later this year on what to do about global warming.
When cars, power plants and factories burn fossil fuels, they release carbon dioxide that heats the Earth's atmosphere."
The effects of global warming can be reduced, according to the panel's report about how and why the planet is warming. The panel will release another report later this year on what to do about global warming.
When cars, power plants and factories burn fossil fuels, they release carbon dioxide that heats the Earth's atmosphere."
Norwalk Citizen - Capturing Contaminants
Norwalk Citizen - Capturing Contaminants: "To remove contaminants from storm water before it reaches Long Island Sound, Transpo Industries, Inc., of New Rochelle, N.Y., recently installed its EnviroSafe Modular Storm Water Catch Basin Filtration System in and around Veterans Memorial Park.
The work of retrofitting 45 storm drains with the new filtering technology was done under a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
According to Department of Public Works senior civil engineer Michael Yeosock, because the EnviroSafe technology is so new, the city decided to install a limited number of the devices in a 'demonstration process.' This will allow the technology's effectiveness to be evaluated for Norwalk and other municipalities in Connecticut, Yeosock said during a press conference at the park at which the installation was demonstrated. If the system appears to be effective, the city most likely will retrofit more of the catch basins, he said."
The work of retrofitting 45 storm drains with the new filtering technology was done under a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
According to Department of Public Works senior civil engineer Michael Yeosock, because the EnviroSafe technology is so new, the city decided to install a limited number of the devices in a 'demonstration process.' This will allow the technology's effectiveness to be evaluated for Norwalk and other municipalities in Connecticut, Yeosock said during a press conference at the park at which the installation was demonstrated. If the system appears to be effective, the city most likely will retrofit more of the catch basins, he said."
The Connecticut Post Online - Broadwater terminal poses inferno risk
The Connecticut Post Online - Broadwater terminal poses inferno risk: "A major explosion on a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas to the proposed Broadwater terminal in Long Island Sound would burn skin as far as a mile away, according to a congressional study.
The Government Accountability Office, which determined that a terrorist attack on a tanker, a natural disaster or an accident would severely burn people up to a mile away, concluded further research is needed to understand the consequences of such an inferno."
The Government Accountability Office, which determined that a terrorist attack on a tanker, a natural disaster or an accident would severely burn people up to a mile away, concluded further research is needed to understand the consequences of such an inferno."
Federal report highlights danger of gas tankers - Newsday.com
Federal report highlights danger of gas tankers - Newsday.com: "People up to a mile away could get burned by a fire on a liquid natural gas tanker such as those that would supply the proposed Broadwater terminal in Long Island Sound, a federal report said yesterday.
In preparing the report, the Government Accountability Office examined six unclassified studies about the effects of a major spill and fire aboard a double-hulled tanker carrying liquefied natural gas. Most experts interviewed by investigators agreed such a fire could burn people's skin roughly one mile away, depending on variables that include the amount of gas released, size of the tanker breach, and winds, the GAO report said."
In preparing the report, the Government Accountability Office examined six unclassified studies about the effects of a major spill and fire aboard a double-hulled tanker carrying liquefied natural gas. Most experts interviewed by investigators agreed such a fire could burn people's skin roughly one mile away, depending on variables that include the amount of gas released, size of the tanker breach, and winds, the GAO report said."
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Study: LNG tanker blast could burn victims one mile away - Newsday.com
Study: LNG tanker blast could burn victims one mile away - Newsday.com
WASHINGTON -- Fire from a terrorism attack against a tanker ship carrying liquefied natural gas could ignite so fiercely it would burn people one mile away, according to a congressional study.
It examined terror risks on the nation's waterways and concluded that further research is needed to understand the consequences of such a remarkable inferno.
The study by the Government Accountability Office was expected to be released Wednesday. It urged the Energy Department to perform new research on the risks from a major fire or gas release in terror attacks or natural disasters on such tanker ships.
Lawmakers said the latest GAO study coincides with projected increases of 400 percent in liquified (sic) natural gas imports over the next 10 years, as energy companies await federal approval on 32 applications to build new terminals in 10 states and five offshore areas. New tanker ships being launched are nearly twice as large as many current tankers, lawmakers said.
WASHINGTON -- Fire from a terrorism attack against a tanker ship carrying liquefied natural gas could ignite so fiercely it would burn people one mile away, according to a congressional study.
It examined terror risks on the nation's waterways and concluded that further research is needed to understand the consequences of such a remarkable inferno.
The study by the Government Accountability Office was expected to be released Wednesday. It urged the Energy Department to perform new research on the risks from a major fire or gas release in terror attacks or natural disasters on such tanker ships.
Lawmakers said the latest GAO study coincides with projected increases of 400 percent in liquified (sic) natural gas imports over the next 10 years, as energy companies await federal approval on 32 applications to build new terminals in 10 states and five offshore areas. New tanker ships being launched are nearly twice as large as many current tankers, lawmakers said.
Westport News - Broadwater Fights Back on Liquid Natural Gas Plan
Westport News - Broadwater Fights Back on Liquid Natural Gas Plan: "With the General Assembly approaching the midpoint of this session, Broadwater Energy is starting to intensify its counterattack against advocates in Connecticut who are opposed to the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Long Island Sound.
Broadwater officials are meeting with media and other groups to win support for the LNG terminal and defeat proposals in the legislature. The cost of the terminal is estimated at $700 million and some observers of the battle between environmentalists and the utility giant think the price tag could go higher if it is approved."
Broadwater officials are meeting with media and other groups to win support for the LNG terminal and defeat proposals in the legislature. The cost of the terminal is estimated at $700 million and some observers of the battle between environmentalists and the utility giant think the price tag could go higher if it is approved."
Suffolk attorneys request more hearings on LNG plan - Newsday.com
Suffolk attorneys request more hearings on LNG plan - Newsday.com: "Suffolk County and Broadwater Energy continue battling behind the scenes over the latter's proposal for a liquid natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound, which the county opposes.
The latest shot, fired by the county, is a letter sent Tuesday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission objecting to a request by Broadwater to file more information to counter its proposal's critics and support its case that the project can be undertaken safely."
The latest shot, fired by the county, is a letter sent Tuesday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission objecting to a request by Broadwater to file more information to counter its proposal's critics and support its case that the project can be undertaken safely."
And The Lord Said, 'Let There Be Wise Community Development'
New Haven Independent: And The Lord Said, "Let There Be Wise Community Development": "Speaking Tuesday morning on 'The Moral Implications of Community Development,' Rabbi Pete Stein addressed a group of New Haven's financial and spiritual movers and shakers; he sees scant distinction in the capacity for moral action between the two. Stein said that the way he reads the Bible, God is calling on all of us to work, through moments of high spiritual uplift or by resolving to recycle those plastic bags to reduce garbage, to make a world sustainable ecologically, economically, socially, and spiritually."
Monday, March 12, 2007
News Times Live Hospital looks at clean energy
News Times Live Hospital looks at clean energy
Solar panels slated to be replaced atop Danbury building
By Robert Miller
THE NEWS-TIMES
DANBURY -- The water-heating solar panels that sit on top of Danbury Hospital -- put there about 30 years ago, and out of commission for at least half that time -- will be replaced with new ones that will generate electricity.
The new photovoltaic panels -- as well as a planned gas-fired turbine generator on the hospital grounds -- will reduce the hospital's dependence on electricity and will use less-polluting technologies.
Mark Mininberg, president of Hospital Energy Services, which works with hospitals to expand their use of clean energy, said Danbury Hospital is the only one in the state that is planning such a solar array.
Photovoltaic cells can convert sunlight directly to electricity. The new panels could be in place in 2008 or 2009 and will save the hospital money.
"When you buy electricity, you pay for the cost of generating the electricity,'' said Morris Gross, vice president of Danbury Health Systems, the for-profit corporation that owns the nonprofit hospital, said last week.
"But you also pay the cost of transmitting the electricity across wires. And you pay for the cost of distributing the electricity to a particular place. So if you can generate at least some of that electricity yourself, you save on the transmission and distribution costs."
Click on the link above to read the rest of the story
Solar panels slated to be replaced atop Danbury building
By Robert Miller
THE NEWS-TIMES
DANBURY -- The water-heating solar panels that sit on top of Danbury Hospital -- put there about 30 years ago, and out of commission for at least half that time -- will be replaced with new ones that will generate electricity.
The new photovoltaic panels -- as well as a planned gas-fired turbine generator on the hospital grounds -- will reduce the hospital's dependence on electricity and will use less-polluting technologies.
Mark Mininberg, president of Hospital Energy Services, which works with hospitals to expand their use of clean energy, said Danbury Hospital is the only one in the state that is planning such a solar array.
Photovoltaic cells can convert sunlight directly to electricity. The new panels could be in place in 2008 or 2009 and will save the hospital money.
"When you buy electricity, you pay for the cost of generating the electricity,'' said Morris Gross, vice president of Danbury Health Systems, the for-profit corporation that owns the nonprofit hospital, said last week.
"But you also pay the cost of transmitting the electricity across wires. And you pay for the cost of distributing the electricity to a particular place. So if you can generate at least some of that electricity yourself, you save on the transmission and distribution costs."
Click on the link above to read the rest of the story
Recruiting For Conservation
Threatened and endangered plants, fish and wildlife face myriad threats - congressional assaults on the federal Endangered Species Act, development pressures, budget cuts to recovery programs and global warming, to name a few. A proposal now before the Senate holds genuine promise for recruiting private landowners to the cause of protecting these species.
Called the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007, the measure introduced by Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican from Idaho, would make up to $400 million available annually in tax credits, deductions and exclusions to people who own or manage private lands. The proposal has more than a dozen bipartisan co-sponsors, including Connecticut's Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
Called the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007, the measure introduced by Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican from Idaho, would make up to $400 million available annually in tax credits, deductions and exclusions to people who own or manage private lands. The proposal has more than a dozen bipartisan co-sponsors, including Connecticut's Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Neighbors fight against truck school
The Valley Gazette: "The residents stuck with their overwhelming concern that diesel smoke is a health hazard. Beyond this issue, each side found little common ground as the parties used each other's arguments as a basis for further attack.
Both sides debated the application from Allstate Commercial Driving Training School of Shelton for a 10.8-acre parcel of land at Pearl and Day streets."
Both sides debated the application from Allstate Commercial Driving Training School of Shelton for a 10.8-acre parcel of land at Pearl and Day streets."
New bill to protect 'Preserve'
Pictorial Gazette - New bill to protect 'Preserve': "State Rep. James Spallone, D-Essex, has proposed a bill calling for $10 million in state funding to help purchase the mostly forested and undisturbed 1,000-acre parcel nicknamed 'The Preserve' in northwest Old Saybrook, a portion of south central Essex, and a small section of northeast Westbrook.
While previous bills called for $8 million, the increase came after River Sound Development, the property's owners, rejected an offer from the state Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, to purchase the property for $7.5 million, Spallone said.
River Sound Development is a subsidiary of the Wall-Street investment firm Lehman Brothers.
While this undeveloped land is home to a variety of animals, it also contains the watersheds of the Oyster River, Trout Brook, and Mud River, three important waterways that drain into the Long Island Sound.
The Connecticut Fund for the Environment, CFE, describes the parcel as 'one of the last vast pieces of coastal forestland of its kind between Boston and New York City.'
'This property is a top priority for the DEP,' Spallone said, adding that he feels it would be a great addition to the 16,000-acre Cockaponset State Forest."
While previous bills called for $8 million, the increase came after River Sound Development, the property's owners, rejected an offer from the state Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, to purchase the property for $7.5 million, Spallone said.
River Sound Development is a subsidiary of the Wall-Street investment firm Lehman Brothers.
While this undeveloped land is home to a variety of animals, it also contains the watersheds of the Oyster River, Trout Brook, and Mud River, three important waterways that drain into the Long Island Sound.
The Connecticut Fund for the Environment, CFE, describes the parcel as 'one of the last vast pieces of coastal forestland of its kind between Boston and New York City.'
'This property is a top priority for the DEP,' Spallone said, adding that he feels it would be a great addition to the 16,000-acre Cockaponset State Forest."
Commentary — Rep. Toni Boucher — Super 7, not again!
Wilton Villager Online: "I oppose this plan in the strongest possible terms on behalf of my constituents, the community and the environment that it would destroy."
Alliance targets diesel pollution
The Connecticut Post Online - Alliance targets diesel pollution: "A coalition of environmental groups Wednesday urged state officials to do more to curb diesel pollution, citing new findings that the daily commute is a significant source of exposure to harmful diesel fumes.
A report released Wednesday by the Clean Air Task Force found that although 6 percent of a typical day is spent getting to and from work, the commute typically accounts for 60 percent of a commuter's exposure to diesel pollution."
A report released Wednesday by the Clean Air Task Force found that although 6 percent of a typical day is spent getting to and from work, the commute typically accounts for 60 percent of a commuter's exposure to diesel pollution."
'Super 7' debated in Hartford
Wilton Villager Online: "HARTFORD — The sponsor of a bill to move forward the construction of a long-considered highway between Norwalk and Danbury sparred with the project's chief opponent as he testified before the state legislature's Transportation Committee Wednesday.
State Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, said the proposed highway, known as 'Super 7' to supporters and detractors alike, is crucial for Connecticut's economic vitality. Transportation Committee member and Wilton state Rep. Toni Boucher, R-143, replied that there is no federal or state money allocated for the project, which she said would harm the environment and public health in her town."
State Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, said the proposed highway, known as 'Super 7' to supporters and detractors alike, is crucial for Connecticut's economic vitality. Transportation Committee member and Wilton state Rep. Toni Boucher, R-143, replied that there is no federal or state money allocated for the project, which she said would harm the environment and public health in her town."
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Eastern Connecticut locals join climate fight
Norwich Bulletin - www.norwichbulletin.com - Norwich, Conn.: "The Mohegan tribe bought 100 acres of forestland in Costa Rica in 2002 through the Mystic-based nonprofit group, Reforest the Tropics, as a way of offsetting the 1,600 tons of carbon dioxide the tribe's two 200-kilowatt fuel cells emit for a period of 25 years."
Connecticut College President pledges the College will make plans to achieve carbon neutrality
Connecticut College - CC News Stories: "President Leo I. Higdon, Jr. has pledged that the College will make plans to achieve carbon neutrality and will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases generated by the campus.
Higdon recently signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which seeks to address global warming by solidifying institutional commitments to reduce and ultimately
Higdon´s commitment places him as a charter signatory of the initiative, which hopes to have 200 college and university signers by June 2007. To date, more than 50 college and university presidents and chancellors have either signed the commitment or letters of intent to sign the commitment by June."
Higdon recently signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which seeks to address global warming by solidifying institutional commitments to reduce and ultimately
Higdon´s commitment places him as a charter signatory of the initiative, which hopes to have 200 college and university signers by June 2007. To date, more than 50 college and university presidents and chancellors have either signed the commitment or letters of intent to sign the commitment by June."
The Advocate - Doctor tackles inconvenient subject, says global warming calls for 'day-to-day commitment'
The Advocate - Doctor tackles inconvenient subject, says global warming calls for 'day-to-day commitment': "Peter Libre pays nothing in gas or electric bills to heat his six-person home, and he does not want you to pay anything, either.
Libre, a Norwalk eye surgeon and disciple of former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Project in Nashville, Tenn., gave a talk on global warming yesterday at United Methodist Church in Rowayton. A change in lifestyle is not only good for the environment, it also is good for your pocketbook, Libre told the few dozen who attended.
State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and state Rep. Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, also spoke about climate change at the meeting.
Libre, who used a slide show that resembled Gore's film 'An Inconvenient Truth,' said climate change is a large, abstract issue, but there are many things individuals can do to help the environment and save money."
Libre, a Norwalk eye surgeon and disciple of former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Project in Nashville, Tenn., gave a talk on global warming yesterday at United Methodist Church in Rowayton. A change in lifestyle is not only good for the environment, it also is good for your pocketbook, Libre told the few dozen who attended.
State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and state Rep. Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, also spoke about climate change at the meeting.
Libre, who used a slide show that resembled Gore's film 'An Inconvenient Truth,' said climate change is a large, abstract issue, but there are many things individuals can do to help the environment and save money."
Home, Green Home
courant.com | Home, Green Home: "When Peter and Nellie Rabinowitz of Bethany decided several years ago that they wanted an environmentally sensitive home, they had a hard time finding somebody to build one.
Builders said, 'We've heard of that, but nobody does it around here. Everybody wants a big house with as many square feet as possible, and they don't care about sustainable or energy efficient or anything like that,' said Peter Rabinowitz.
Things have changed. Green buildings - energy-sipping and Earth-friendly - are increasingly appealing. And they don't have to be goofy looking."
Builders said, 'We've heard of that, but nobody does it around here. Everybody wants a big house with as many square feet as possible, and they don't care about sustainable or energy efficient or anything like that,' said Peter Rabinowitz.
Things have changed. Green buildings - energy-sipping and Earth-friendly - are increasingly appealing. And they don't have to be goofy looking."
Green Design on a Roll : Economics and Environment Align for Energy-Efficient Buildings (By Jim Motavalli)
Green Design on a Roll : Economics and Environment Align for Energy-Efficient Buildings (By Jim Motavalli): "Lindsay Suter, a green architect in Connecticut, made a vow. He wasn’t going to design mega mansions or outsized additions. Instead, he was going to devote 100 percent of his practice to environmentally themed designs. It’s a promise he kept.
Suter lives in a 220-year-old former grain mill next to a dammed river in North Branford, with solar panels on the roof. He admits that leaf-shaded Connecticut river valleys are not necessarily the best place for photovoltaics (PV), but he’s been stymied in the green home project he’d most like to see realized: hydroelectric power. “Every time I look outside at the dam I see four or five kilowatts going over the top,” he says."
Suter lives in a 220-year-old former grain mill next to a dammed river in North Branford, with solar panels on the roof. He admits that leaf-shaded Connecticut river valleys are not necessarily the best place for photovoltaics (PV), but he’s been stymied in the green home project he’d most like to see realized: hydroelectric power. “Every time I look outside at the dam I see four or five kilowatts going over the top,” he says."
Bureau lauds plan for Metro Green project
The Advocate - Bureau lauds plan for Metro Green project: "The city Land Use Bureau praised a plan to build 48 units of affordable housing next to the Stamford train station in what would become the state's largest 'green' mixed-use development.
In a written assessment of the Metro Green development plan by W&M Properties and housing developer Jonathan Rose Companies, Land Use Bureau Chief said it is unique because it combines several features the city should want - transit-oriented development, on-site affordable housing at nearly double the amount required, consistency with the city's Master Plan and environmentally sensitive design.
"
In a written assessment of the Metro Green development plan by W&M Properties and housing developer Jonathan Rose Companies, Land Use Bureau Chief said it is unique because it combines several features the city should want - transit-oriented development, on-site affordable housing at nearly double the amount required, consistency with the city's Master Plan and environmentally sensitive design.
"
Clean Air Study Alarms Officials
Clean Air Study Alarms Officials: "State transportation and environmental protection officials reacted with concern Wednesday to a Clean Air Task Force study that concluded that commuters cannot escape exposure to sickening diesel exhaust whether traveling by car, bus, train, ferry or foot."
courant.com | Rell To Introduce CO² Legislation
courant.com | Rell To Introduce CO² Legislation: "The Northeastern states' Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative got a boost Monday from Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who announced she would introduce legislation supporting the plan to limit carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants.
At the same time, Rell recommended auctioning up to 100 percent of the carbon permits the state will issue under the plan to underwrite consumer benefit programs. ..."
At the same time, Rell recommended auctioning up to 100 percent of the carbon permits the state will issue under the plan to underwrite consumer benefit programs. ..."
Humans On Fragile Edge
courant.com | Humans On Fragile Edge: "The scientific debate about whether there is a global warming problem is pretty much over. A leading international group of climate scientists reported last month that the evidence of global warming is 'unequivocal' and that the likelihood it is caused by humans is more than 90 percent. Skeptical researchers will continue to question the data, but this isn't a 'call both sides for comment' issue anymore. For mainstream science, it's settled. ..."
Choking Commuters - A Hartford Courant Editorial
Courant Editorial | Choking Commuters: "Commuting not only stinks (literally), it can make you sick, says an environmental group that studied diesel fumes in four cities.
This is bad news for a commuter state with three cities in the Top 50 exhaust list.
The good news is that 90 percent of the carcinogenic pollutants in diesel emissions can be removed from the air by retrofitting engines with filters. That's a powerful argument for investing in filters for state, local and federal fleets.
The Massachusetts-based nonprofit Clean Air Task Force looked at Boston, New York, Austin and Columbus, and found high levels of unhealthy diesel exhaust inside cars, buses and trains - four to eight times higher than outside the vehicle. But commuters on bikes and foot also inhale sickening amounts of fumes from diesel traffic. You can't escape soot.
Diesel particles can cause cancer, strokes and heart attacks and trigger serious breathing disorders.
To its credit, the state is addressing some of its emissions problems. More than half of the state's 600 CT Transit buses will have emissions filters by 2010. School buses in Bridgeport and New Haven and garbage trucks in Hartford are also getting retrofitted.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency requires new diesel trucks to have filters that reduce particle emissions. But diesel engines can last up to 30 years, so the old soot-belchers won't be off the roads any time soon.
Lawmakers have tried, but so far failed, to require all public transit and construction vehicles on state-financed projects to be outfitted with filters. The expense, at $7,000 or more per vehicle, could be spread over a few years.
It shouldn't be put off."
This is bad news for a commuter state with three cities in the Top 50 exhaust list.
The good news is that 90 percent of the carcinogenic pollutants in diesel emissions can be removed from the air by retrofitting engines with filters. That's a powerful argument for investing in filters for state, local and federal fleets.
The Massachusetts-based nonprofit Clean Air Task Force looked at Boston, New York, Austin and Columbus, and found high levels of unhealthy diesel exhaust inside cars, buses and trains - four to eight times higher than outside the vehicle. But commuters on bikes and foot also inhale sickening amounts of fumes from diesel traffic. You can't escape soot.
Diesel particles can cause cancer, strokes and heart attacks and trigger serious breathing disorders.
To its credit, the state is addressing some of its emissions problems. More than half of the state's 600 CT Transit buses will have emissions filters by 2010. School buses in Bridgeport and New Haven and garbage trucks in Hartford are also getting retrofitted.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency requires new diesel trucks to have filters that reduce particle emissions. But diesel engines can last up to 30 years, so the old soot-belchers won't be off the roads any time soon.
Lawmakers have tried, but so far failed, to require all public transit and construction vehicles on state-financed projects to be outfitted with filters. The expense, at $7,000 or more per vehicle, could be spread over a few years.
It shouldn't be put off."
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Norwich Bulletin - www.norwichbulletin.com - Norwich, Conn.
Norwich Bulletin - www.norwichbulletin.com - Norwich, Conn.
Local push is on for clean water funding
By LIZ MUGAVERO
Norwich Bulletin
HARTFORD -- The Clean Water Investment Coalition Tuesday called on the General Assembly to increase funding to clean up Connecticut's rivers and Long Island Sound, asking for $157 million for the 2007-208 fiscal year.
The coalition's report found the Clean Water Fund program is still able to be repaired, but need for these projects is real.
Led by Norwich City Manager Bob Zarnetske, the coalition reiterated that without financial support, ongoing and proposed projects will not be completed.
"One such project is the sewer upgrade in the city," Zarnetske said. "We need the state to contribute funds to make it possible for our water to be clean. These projects are essential to ensuring our rivers and the Sound are clean and safe."
Zarnetske said the problem is increasing costs in construction and engineering.
"The funds are necessary to upgrade plants and improve wastewater management systems as quickly as possible, so we don't pay more later."
Eastern Connecticut cities/towns awaiting funding include: Waterford, Groton, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Plainfield, Killingly, Putnam, East Lyme, Sprague, Thompson and Montville.
Local push is on for clean water funding
By LIZ MUGAVERO
Norwich Bulletin
HARTFORD -- The Clean Water Investment Coalition Tuesday called on the General Assembly to increase funding to clean up Connecticut's rivers and Long Island Sound, asking for $157 million for the 2007-208 fiscal year.
The coalition's report found the Clean Water Fund program is still able to be repaired, but need for these projects is real.
Led by Norwich City Manager Bob Zarnetske, the coalition reiterated that without financial support, ongoing and proposed projects will not be completed.
"One such project is the sewer upgrade in the city," Zarnetske said. "We need the state to contribute funds to make it possible for our water to be clean. These projects are essential to ensuring our rivers and the Sound are clean and safe."
Zarnetske said the problem is increasing costs in construction and engineering.
"The funds are necessary to upgrade plants and improve wastewater management systems as quickly as possible, so we don't pay more later."
Eastern Connecticut cities/towns awaiting funding include: Waterford, Groton, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Plainfield, Killingly, Putnam, East Lyme, Sprague, Thompson and Montville.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Wilton Villager Online
Wilton Villager Online: ... "Gov. Rell last week proposed increasing the funding for the Clean Water Fund to $245 million a year. I commend and agree with the Governor's decision to put more money into the Clean Water Fund. Recent legislative inaction has resulted in inadequate funding, to the point where in 2005 the legislature did not authorize any Clean Water Fund bonding; it has authorized $20 million in each of the 2006 and 2007 fiscal years. The $20 million annual funding level is significantly less than the $144 million and $120 million than the Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] requested for fiscal years 06 and 07, respectively. The DEP bases its requests on the number of treatment plants that had completed the design phase of their projects and were ready for construction." ....
Rell Clean Water Initiative Too Small, Coalition Says
Fox 61 WTIC-TV Connecticut | Rell Clean Water Initiative Too Small, Coalition Says: "One of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's major budget initiatives - to keep Connecticut waters free of pollution - is well-intentioned but too small by half, an alliance of environmental, municipal and economic interests declared Tuesday.
The Clean Water Investment Coalition said the state needs to allocate about $300 million over the next two years to water-related public works projects, the full amount requested by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy - compared with the $140 million Rell has proposed.
Besides a host of environmental groups, the 20-member coalition includes the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Metropolitan District Commission, the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, the State Building Trades Council and lobstermen associations.
In a sign the coalition has lawmakers' support, the first speakers at a noontime news conference at the Legislative Office Building were the chairmen of the General Assembly's environment committee, who focused on protecting Long Island Sound.
'Every bit of water in Connecticut drains into Long Island Sound, which is our most precious natural resource,' said Rep. Richard Roy, D-Milford. He spoke of endangered coastal marshes 'where life begins' for the Sound ecosystem."
The Clean Water Investment Coalition said the state needs to allocate about $300 million over the next two years to water-related public works projects, the full amount requested by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy - compared with the $140 million Rell has proposed.
Besides a host of environmental groups, the 20-member coalition includes the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Metropolitan District Commission, the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, the State Building Trades Council and lobstermen associations.
In a sign the coalition has lawmakers' support, the first speakers at a noontime news conference at the Legislative Office Building were the chairmen of the General Assembly's environment committee, who focused on protecting Long Island Sound.
'Every bit of water in Connecticut drains into Long Island Sound, which is our most precious natural resource,' said Rep. Richard Roy, D-Milford. He spoke of endangered coastal marshes 'where life begins' for the Sound ecosystem."
Broad-sided - Long Island Business News
Broad-sided - Long Island Business News
John German is not one to mince words: He doesn’t work well with others.
“I’m out there minding my own business, fishing,” he says. “I don’t get along that well with people, and all of a sudden, I’m in the middle of this thing!” ....
.... “Our biggest problem is going to be the shift in the shipping lanes,” said Mattituck fisherman Mark King. “If these barges get pushed a little bit south, they’re going to run through everything.”
Besides a loss of business, that could also mean a loss of gear. King strings out 1,000-foot lines with buoys at each end, with traps attached to the main line by a snood roughly every 150 feet. Other boats forced out of the main shipping lanes by LNG tankers could destroy King’s lines; the traps cost $70 each, so losing a line with six traps is costly. (The traps have panels held in place by clips that rapidly biodegrade, allowing marine life to escape lost pots.) ....
King – whose boat, the Timtarah, is docked just across Mattituck Creek from Rispoli’s – grew up fishing on his family’s vessel (his brother Jim, a Southold Town trustee, is also a fisherman). He worries about adding to the cumulative effects on the water. ”This poor Sound’s been hammered enough lately,” he said.
Challenges aside, most lobstermen can’t imagine any other way of life. “I’m 51 years old,” King said, as a cold Sound wind whipped through a stock of lobster pots. “I don’t really want a career change if I can help it. I don’t know how you compensate for someone’s life.”
“There’s nothing else I’d ever want to do,” said German, who is 60 and has fished for all but two of 43 years, when he was in Vietnam. “It’s not a job, it’s a way you live your life.”
John German is not one to mince words: He doesn’t work well with others.
“I’m out there minding my own business, fishing,” he says. “I don’t get along that well with people, and all of a sudden, I’m in the middle of this thing!” ....
.... “Our biggest problem is going to be the shift in the shipping lanes,” said Mattituck fisherman Mark King. “If these barges get pushed a little bit south, they’re going to run through everything.”
Besides a loss of business, that could also mean a loss of gear. King strings out 1,000-foot lines with buoys at each end, with traps attached to the main line by a snood roughly every 150 feet. Other boats forced out of the main shipping lanes by LNG tankers could destroy King’s lines; the traps cost $70 each, so losing a line with six traps is costly. (The traps have panels held in place by clips that rapidly biodegrade, allowing marine life to escape lost pots.) ....
King – whose boat, the Timtarah, is docked just across Mattituck Creek from Rispoli’s – grew up fishing on his family’s vessel (his brother Jim, a Southold Town trustee, is also a fisherman). He worries about adding to the cumulative effects on the water. ”This poor Sound’s been hammered enough lately,” he said.
Challenges aside, most lobstermen can’t imagine any other way of life. “I’m 51 years old,” King said, as a cold Sound wind whipped through a stock of lobster pots. “I don’t really want a career change if I can help it. I don’t know how you compensate for someone’s life.”
“There’s nothing else I’d ever want to do,” said German, who is 60 and has fished for all but two of 43 years, when he was in Vietnam. “It’s not a job, it’s a way you live your life.”
BOF votes to table denitrification facility
The Herald - BOF votes to table denitrification facility
Southington is presently releasing 900 pounds of nitrogen into the Quinnipiac River per day. In 2005, the town paid the state $170,000 into the credit exchange and, with an increase in 2006, the town paid $280,000.
John Pearson, an engineer with Metcalf and Eddy Inc., the company contracted by the Town Council to design and construct the facility, presented the proposal to the board. The proposal consisted of comparison analysis of the cost to build the denitrification plant versus continuing to partake in The Nitrogen Credit Exchange Program.
Southington is presently releasing 900 pounds of nitrogen into the Quinnipiac River per day. In 2005, the town paid the state $170,000 into the credit exchange and, with an increase in 2006, the town paid $280,000.
John Pearson, an engineer with Metcalf and Eddy Inc., the company contracted by the Town Council to design and construct the facility, presented the proposal to the board. The proposal consisted of comparison analysis of the cost to build the denitrification plant versus continuing to partake in The Nitrogen Credit Exchange Program.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Alliance targets diesel pollution _ ctpost
The Connecticut Post Online - Alliance targets diesel pollution
A coalition of environmental groups Wednesday urged state officials to do more to curb diesel pollution, citing new findings that the daily commute is a significant source of exposure to harmful diesel fumes.
A report released Wednesday by the Clean Air Task Force found that although 6 percent of a typical day is spent getting to and from work, the commute typically accounts for 60 percent of a commuter's exposure to diesel pollution.
The report based its findings on a study of commutes in Austin, Texas; Boston; New York City and Columbus, Ohio.
It found people who commute by car, bus, ferry, train or foot had significant exposure to fine-particulate pollution from diesel exhaust. But it also noted that exposure fell in areas where transit and other vehicles are fitted with special filters or use alternative fuels.
"I think that this report is really important for Fairfield County residents to take note of," said Katherine Woodhead, community organizer for the Fairfield County Environmental Justice Network, based in Bridgeport.
She said Bridgeport in particular has a high incidence of asthma, which she said has been associated with fine-particulate pollution from diesel engines.
"Fairfield County is among the hardest hit 7 percent for counties nationwide in terms of health impacts from diesel exhaust," Woodhead said.
The Connecticut Alliance Against Diesel Pollution, a coalition of environmental groups, said the study shows a need for action at the state level to curb diesel pollution. ..."
A coalition of environmental groups Wednesday urged state officials to do more to curb diesel pollution, citing new findings that the daily commute is a significant source of exposure to harmful diesel fumes.
A report released Wednesday by the Clean Air Task Force found that although 6 percent of a typical day is spent getting to and from work, the commute typically accounts for 60 percent of a commuter's exposure to diesel pollution.
The report based its findings on a study of commutes in Austin, Texas; Boston; New York City and Columbus, Ohio.
It found people who commute by car, bus, ferry, train or foot had significant exposure to fine-particulate pollution from diesel exhaust. But it also noted that exposure fell in areas where transit and other vehicles are fitted with special filters or use alternative fuels.
"I think that this report is really important for Fairfield County residents to take note of," said Katherine Woodhead, community organizer for the Fairfield County Environmental Justice Network, based in Bridgeport.
She said Bridgeport in particular has a high incidence of asthma, which she said has been associated with fine-particulate pollution from diesel engines.
"Fairfield County is among the hardest hit 7 percent for counties nationwide in terms of health impacts from diesel exhaust," Woodhead said.
The Connecticut Alliance Against Diesel Pollution, a coalition of environmental groups, said the study shows a need for action at the state level to curb diesel pollution. ..."
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