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.