Airsoft bio-degradable BB's

Similar to the paintball activity, there is a new game that many kids have hooked onto called "airsoft". You shoot these tiny pellets, or BBs as we call them. Conservation Agent Teresa G. has encountered some areas on Shelton Open Space where the typical teenager hang-out debris occurs, along with this airsoft residue.


In WalMart they sell the equipment, and both the plastic BBs along with bio-degradable BBs. It is reasonable to assume that users are not going around to pick up their shot BBs. Even when on private property it has an effect on ecology with wildlife, so this is not just an "on open space" issue. Rather than have more plastic in the environment / ecosystem, perhaps the State could consider mandating that the biodegradable version be used since it is already available. For example.

plastic airsoft BBs:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6527843


biodegradable airsoft BBs:
http://www.amazon.com/Cybergun-5000ct-Biodegradable-Airsoft-BBs/dp/B000OYH9EM/ref=sr_1_7/102-1849596-7216116?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1193875968&sr=1-7

On 10/31/07, Kate Ramunni wrote:

Hi Tom,

I saw on the message board something about you
requesting Larry Miller introduce legislation about
BBs -- was wondering what that's about. Thanks!

kate

CRRA Xfer liability and Closure Plan

Response to question from CtPost reporter Kate Rumani on 2007/Oct25


As a resident of the area, I would hope that there are safeguards in place to ensure that whoever assumes management will maintain the gas recovery operation properly. Once in the past when the CRRA delegated duties, a contractor (forget the name) was charged with running the methane extraction operation and it turned out they hadn't replaced filters anywhere near the periodic schedule and the system then clogged, leading to methane migration and the most recent methane event a few years ago. At that time, the head of the CRRA attended an informational meeting at Long Hill School (along with other CRRA staff and some City leadership) to lay out the corrective plans to prevent that happening again (which included replacing the contractor), and at a subsequent informational meeting (I was at both) a "Closure Plan" was presented which has yet to be followed thru on.

While the landfill does have areas of contamination that were shown to be sequestered far from any proposed public use, the site is a substantial area with existing access roads that reach the waterfront and an inlet near the confluence of the Far Mill River. The Closure Plan presented involved improvements to the entrance at Rte110 with stone walls replacing the existing chainlink fence, parking areas for users and a location for canoes to put into the lagoon area that opens to the Housatonic River, and decorative plantings. Hiking trails were shown on maps that would allow passive recreation to observe the significant wildlife on the site as it continues reverting to a more natural setting. I have personally observed deer, coyote's and numerous birdlife from the adjacent Sports Center.

The Housatonic River is a mighty natural resource for the region. If the former landfill site can be put to use in providing passive enjoyment of that resource, I believe that would be beneficial and should be pursued. Since that has been presented for several years as the plan by the CRRA, it should be completed in a timely manner or explained to the community as to why a different direction or delay has taken place. I believe the Closure Plan as previously illustrated was a good thing for the community, and any permitting or safety issues that may be holding back it's implementation should be addressed.

The development projects proposed in recent years along both sides of the Housatonic (marina, sports ctr, residential development, golf course), have to various degrees taken away potential areas for public enjoyment of the river. If this site will have no future opportunity to balance that aspect, it would alter my personal viewpoint when analyzing future Shelton development proposals in that river corridor.

Ideas on how to enjoy Open Space this Fall

This was emailed to editorial dept of CtPost, HuntHrld and ShltnWkly on WedOct3.

People will soon come to our region to witness the landscape's foliage color change of fall. In Shelton, some will experience those vistas while picking pumpkins and apples, enjoying haunted hayrides and corn mazes, or buying cider, wines and ice-cream on our local farms. A large part of this activity is made possible by the value our residents have endorsed being invested into open space, particularly in those lands preserved for agricultural use, but perhaps less known are the many of opportunities for the public to enjoy the variety of open space lands conserved for passive recreation in Shelton.

On SatOct6 at Indian Well State Park, the New Haven Rowing Club is hosting the 13th annual "Head of the Housatonic" regatta that has 600 entries with athletes from various Northeast schools competing all morning on the Housatonic River. The City of Shelton has purchased much of the property along the ridge lines near the park to preserve the vista of the river's corridor. You can get a birds-eye view of the staging area from Riverview Park, Shelton's first preserved park space. If you want to experience the river for yourself (downstream), you can launch a cayak from Southbank Park and enjoy a picnic at it's pavilion.

On SunOct7 at downtown Shelton, the Shelton/Derby Rotary is conducting "Shelton Day" with all their exciting activities. It puts on display the value of our downtown with the riverwalk and park areas on the river to enjoy, and which will be expanded upon with the on-going plans for downtown re-development. Check out the Shelton Land Conservation Trust's booth to see how they operate independently from the City government toward preserving lands in Shelton.

On TueOct9 at the Shelton Lakes Greenway area, the Shelton High Cross Country Team hosts their last home meet of the year against Amity and Cheshire on the RecPath and Turkey Trot Trails. How inspiring to see the school's education campus utilize the forested areas surrounding it for such passive recreation use, just as we envisioned when it was purchased. There are roughly 400 acres with 10 miles of trails in this area for anyone in the public to hike during the day.

Looking for something to do with the kids off school? Spice up a hike with a bit of adventure. On Open Space in Shelton there are hidden 23 letterboxes and 36 geocaches to find. The sheltontrails.org website also has nature guides for items to be aware of and keep kids learning about their surroundings (and despite recent news reports, there are NO mountain lions to worry about).

The City is grateful for the work of volunteers and groups to make these opportunities possible. The SHS Cross Country team helped do maintenance on the Turkey Trot Trail with the hard working Trails Committee of the Shelton Conservation Commission, the Girl Scouts Troop 363 is cleaning the Huntington Wellfield while Troop 512 cleaned up around the Far Mill River in Pine Rock Park. Last weekend and this, there are volunteers taking macroinvertabrae samples on the Far Mill River to help the DEP study its water quality.

Enjoy the fall weather and land preserved in the community, by the community, and for the community.