From State House members Steve Stafstrom and Ezequiel Santiago:
State Representatives Steve Stafstrom and Ezequiel Santiago are pleased that Bridgeport has been awarded a $2 million grant to remediate a 2.2 acre site (next to the West End sewage treatment plant) in the city’s Eco-Technology park to enable the construction of a permitted anaerobic digester facility.
The $2 million grant for Bridgeport announced by Governor Dannel P. Malloy comes under the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation Program. The anaerobic digester facility will accept wastewater bio-solids from both of Bridgeport’s wastewater treatment facilities and convert these materials to generate renewable energy. The facility is expected to begin full operations in early 2017.
“I want to thank Governor Malloy for including Bridgeport as one of 16 municipalities being awarded these critically important remediation grants,” Rep. Stafstrom said. “The Bridgeport grant represents a welcomed investment in a project that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while significantly reducing the volume of organic materials being hauled to incinerators or landfills, saving Bridgeport tax payer funds.”
“These funds will further Bridgeport’s efforts to bring derelict properties back to useful condition,” said Rep. Ezequiel Santiago. “Our inner cities, which have suffered a disproportionate share of defunct properties, are in need of continued remediation support. I thank Governor Malloy for prioritizing these items and look forward to the work ahead.”
Just more shit flowing to Bridgeport thanks to Hartford.
New tech ways of dealing with shit. It is an industry. Look at all the shit left by Remington, GE, Bridgeport Brass, Bullards. I remember walking on beaches on Black Rock Harbor seeing small and huge clumps of shit, tampons, condoms, dead animals and in July thousands of dead fish because BR harbor became toxic. Can we propose an alternative? Bring back outhouses. The future is here, whether we like it of not. Or maybe we can persuade GE and Jeff Immelt to move on this site.
I forgot another alternative. Let’s go back to dumping raw sewage into Long Island Sound.
Where is this two acres? (Street names.)
Tom White, good question.
I think the community where this plant is being built needs to know what is coming to their community and what are the quality of life issues they will face. These plants are big in Europe and residents in close proximity to these plants constantly complain about the foul smells they cause. Anne Willis, a 42-year-old office worker who lives in Nuthatch Close, said: “Every few days we get the most horrendous smell. It smells like raw sewage, it is absolutely disgusting.”
Why do our supposed leaders continue to bring these type of projects to the neighborhoods of people of color? First it was asphalt plants now it’s an anaerobic digester facility. The people in these European communities, Rothwell Northamptonshire, Cannington, Lincolnshire, Plymouth, Cumbernauld, Norway, Blankenheimer Germany and Osnabruck Germany all complain of the fumes and smells that destroy their quality of life. Does anyone remember Herman Isaacs and the horrendous smells emanating from it when it was functioning? Why is this being built in the black community and just how does this project benefit said community? This isn’t good for the West End nor is it good for the surrounding communities who might live close enough to smell the foul and offensive smells for this great project. Bridgeport, if you don’t know you’d better ask somebody.
Bob, Frank, Tom and Don,
I think this announcement is good news for the neighborhood and for the City itself if the funds are all that remains blocking the project. (There is a rumor finding a definition of what is solid waste and what is less solid, i.e. semi-liquid may be holding up one or more decisions. Perhaps they will impanel a group of lawyers to make such a call.)
The $2 Million from the State is welcome if it allows the project to go forward. Over the past two years PTPartners committee (at PT Barnum) has listened with anticipation to the discussion of this project. Essentially newer technology will allow the residue that is currently trucked to New Haven for burning there per EPA direction to be reduced by about 70% thereby reducing transportation expense. Additionally the biological process produces heat and CO2 that can be used in a planned greenhouse project that will bring year-’round vegetable production for regional markets, some local jobs, and fresh produce to the community. The location combines an unusual-shaped parcel along the Barnum border along with a chunk at Captain’s Cove that is contiguous with wastewater and PT.
Regarding Donald Day’s concerns about odors, he is no doubt aware the existing treatment plant itself is a producer of odors the community is fully aware of. The new project plant has been described as fully enclosed so as to not become an added source of odor on some days. The project has been overseen with OPED assistance throughout. The Community Enhancement Benefits discussed promise to be welcome to the community. Time will tell.
JML, I agree with you 100%. I hope all other commentators will read your provided info and hopefully will understand ALL implications.
Donald,
I recommend parkland in Trumbull for this Community Enhancement. That will go over big. JML can go up to Trumbull and convince their Town Council he is right, they are wrong and it will be totally enclosed until you get complaints from workers.
Let’s see how much shit that can create.
And the state won’t have to fork over $2M for environmental cleanup.
It’s a WIN, WIN.
Bob, I think you have a good point. I heard little Timmie Herbst is best pals with Joe Ganim, and if I remember correctly, little Timmie was dining at Testo’s (as in Mario, chairman of the DTC) on the night Ganim won the Democratic Primary. Maybe Joe and Mario could convince little Timmie to take this plant. After all, Timmie will be running for Governor and he won’t have to deal with any political “wind”fall.
Oh, excuse me. I forgot. The $2M is blood money for B’port.
No one else will buy into this shithouse so the state is bribing the city to clean up the land for a purpose no one else will allow in their community.
JML, am I interpreting your statement “Regarding Donald Day’s concerns about odors, he is no doubt aware the existing treatment plant itself is a producer of odors the community is fully aware of. The new project plant has been described as fully enclosed so as to not become an added source of odor on some days.”
So you’re saying just because one facility is emitting noxious fumes and the community is aware of these noxious fumes, it is now permissible to add another facility that will emit noxious fumes but it’s only going to be certain days this will happen? Also all of these type of facilities are fully enclosed. Really? JML you are to intelligent on too many issues for this to be the argument for allowing this facility not only in this community, but Bridgeport as a whole. May I suggest you talk to some of the old timers from the Rock about the bad ole days when Herman Isaacs was in full effect and you couldn’t open your windows, hell or even go outside without feeling nauseous. Really, the smell will only be on certain days?
I remember the Herman Isaacs rendering stench or miasma on summer evenings when traffic slowed down on I-95 and caused people to gag in their cars. OK, I got the picture.
And I have been at PT or the Cove on days when “problems” at the current waste treatment plant have caused complaints from all around the neighborhood, though my home is less close than those of PT residents.
What I am saying is I have been listening as a team member on this project for the better part of two years. I have listened to the pros and cons raised by residents at our meetings and responses from Anaergia, the company proposing this opportunity, www .anaergia.com.
Have any of the questioners bothered to be present at any of the planning meetings on this project? Or to listen to interested PT Barnum residents discuss their current reality and what the future might hold? So at the moment, despite the criticisms above, from folks who have not reviewed the specifics with the folks who will continue to live close up and real, I am happy this next step is taking place.
And perhaps with Carolanne Curry in mind with her penchant for taking suggestions and getting them onto the City stage, let me suggest the following. Let’s create a score sheet for learning, discussion and ultimately decision making that will look at a proposed activity, vet it for warts, wrinkles, and disgusting odors, as well as all the financial effects on Capital and Operating budgets, and any potential conflicts of interest, including legal or administrative hangups and have a go at it. Would such a score sheet have so easily passed paying interest on Police autos for 20 years when no City Council member would do that with their own car buying? And a request today for such info from one City Department gatekeeper who requested an FOI letter (for the backup info provided to CC, but not the public, subsequent to their Committee meeting where it could have been in the minutes, but otherwise is not). They have not heard from G2 that FOI forms are out for the most part. What a shame. Paying attention is hard, in school and elsewhere, I guess. Time will tell.