Innovative Ideas for Environmental Management Best Practices by Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

A SPECIAL EDITION OF

Congratulations 2019 Sustainable CT Certified Communities: Silver Certified Coventry Guilford Mansfield Middletown New Haven Simsbury South Windsor Vernon Windham

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New London North Stonington Norwich Old Saybrook Portland Scotland Waterford West Haven Weston Wilton Woodbury

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Predictable Cost Just one annual fee of $100 per covered driver or worker is the only cost for compliance. With no additional costs, our program makes budgeting easier. For more information contact Beth Scanlon, (203)946-3782 | bscanlon@ccm-ct.org. 2 | INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS President, Michael J. Freda First Selectman of North Haven 1st Vice President, Luke A. Bronin Mayor of Hartford 2nd Vice President, Jayme J. Stevenson First Selectman of Darien

INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES Inside this issue...

DIRECTORS Elinor Carbone, Mayor of Torrington Thomas Dunn, Mayor of Wolcott Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham Joseph P. Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport Barbara M. Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury Matthew Hoey, First Selectman of Guilford Laura Hoydick, Mayor of Stratford Catherine Iino, First Selectwoman of Killingworth Matthew S. Knickerbocker, First Selectman of Bethel Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield Michael Passero, Mayor of New London Brandon Robertson, Town Manager of Avon John Salomone, Town Manager of Norwich Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester

New Haven Bike Launch

Torrington Sidewalks

Bristol Student Gardens

Bloomfield Solar Arrays

Fairfield Electric School Bus

Greenwich Net Zero Buildings

Coastal Wind Energy Solutions

Middletown Coyotes in the Park

Hamden’s Ten Year Plan

CCM STAFF

CCM’s Parks Project

Executive Director, Joe DeLong

CTs Recycling Crisis

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

Sustainable CT

Erin E. Stewart, Mayor of New Britain Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia PAST PRESIDENTS Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury Susan S. Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of Danbury Herbert C. Rosenthal, Former First Selectman of Newtown HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Leo Paul, Jr., Former First Selectman of Litchfield

Deputy Director, Ron Thomas Managing Editor, Kevin Maloney Layout & Design, Matthew Ford Writer, Christopher Gilson

INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 3

ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

April 2020 CT&C Readers, Our environment is our most precious resource. While terms like Global Warming make this feel like a large issue, there are things happening on the municipal level every day. We are pleased to present the Innovative Ideas for Managing Local Governments: Environment Issue. These ideas are some of the best practices in green energy, civic amenities, recycling, parks and more. They are reprinted from Connecticut Town & City, the bi-monthly magazine of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM). Connecticut Town & City developed these stories from many sources, including visits to Connecticut local governments; suggestions from municipal officials; newspapers and magazines in Connecticut and other states; publications of the National League of Cities; and publications of other state municipal leagues. We would be happy to hear from readers about any ideas we should publish in the future. This special edition of Connecticut Town & City was sponsored by SPONSOR. For further information on any article, please contact Managing Editor Kevin Maloney at 203-498-3025 or kmaloney@ccm-ct.org. Good reading! ÂŠ Copyright 2020 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

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ENVIRONMENT New Haven Launches “Bike Share” Program New Haven recently launched its Elm City’s Bike Share Program.

he launch featured 10 bike stations, with a total of 100 available bicycles. In February of 2020, the bikes are set to go a change in ownership, from the original P3 Global Management to a TapBike platform. In May 2017, the Board of Alders unanimously authorized a contract with New Haven Smart Mobility to implement the bike share program. P3 Global Management, Smart Mobility’s managing partner, has a long track record of implementing bike-share programs sponsored by advertising. The company has already played a role in establishing programs in cities similar in size to New Haven, such as West Palm Beach, Florida; Hoboken, New Jersey and New Rochelle, New York. The new platform will have the same goals, to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce carbon emission and encourage exercise among citizens, with 300 bikes ultimately in service. Since the system will pay for itself through advertisements and user fees, the city will not have to use government revenue to fund it. “We’re thrilled that Bike New Haven will soon be available to enhance mobility and connectivity for city residents,” Former Mayor Toni Harp said in a statement announcing the project in 2017. “At no cost to the city or taxpayers, it’s exciting to see progress … with this new public transportation option.” After downloading the Bike New Haven app — which tells users the location of bicycle stations, as well as the number of available bikes — residents will be given several pricing options. A one-time ride costs $1.75, a day pass costs $8, a one-month pass costs $20 and a year pass costs $90. Although these fixed costed pay for general bicycle usage, the program charges

an extra $2 for each additional 45-minute period over the initial 45-minute ride. Rates are set to be lower for lowincome residents and those over 65 years of age. The push to increase bike usage in the city dates back to Harp’s transition plan in December 2013, according to New Haven Transportation, Traffic and Parking Director Doug Hausladen ’04. Over the past few years, New Haven has added bike lanes, two-way cycle tracks and bike signals to encourage the use of bipedal vehicles, Hausladen said. He added that he hopes the bikeshare program will encourage residents to use larger transit systems if they have a bicycle to take them

there more quickly. “We’re proud to be providing a sustainable transportation option to the public, this program will provide a last mile transportation solution for many people in our community,” Hausladen said. “We’re excited to see how it entwines with the existing bike infrastructure in New Haven.” Hausladen said that to be a “21stcentury city,” it is important to launch a bike-share program that is dynamic and flexible. This model has been replicated all across the state since the launch of the New Haven program. Residents will quickly notice when the bike program is back online when they see the stations filling up with bikes again.

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ENVIRONMENT No More Fees at State Parks Passport to Parks opens door to outside

he state has launched the Passport to Parks program, a new system that supports services at the state parks system while allowing Connecticut residents who have valid state license plates to access all state parks for free.

Out-of-state vehicles will still be charged parking fees ranging from $7 to $22 depending on the park and time of day. Fees to reserve overnight campgrounds for both in-state and out-of-state visitors will still apply.

Created by the bipartisan state budget that was adopted late last year, Passport to Parks is supported through a $10 fee that is being applied through the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to non-commercial vehicles that have new registrations, renewals, and plate transfers registered. These include passenger cars and vehicles with combination plates, as well as motorcycles, campers/motor homes, and vehicles with antique car plates.

“Our state parks are one of our most valuable resources, providing recreation and enjoyment to families across our state and serving as an important economic engine,” Governor Dannel P. Malloy said. “Adopting the Passport to Parks system will help ensure that our state parks remain an attractive destination and continue adding to the quality of life and natural beauty we enjoy in our state.”

Funds generated through this system will provide the Connecticut State Park system – a division of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) – with greater financial support, allowing a number of services at the parks that had been previously reduced to be restored, such as the reopening of several closed campgrounds, increased staffing of state beaches during the summer, and the restoration of regular hours of operation at certain nature centers and museums. Launching the program now will allow DEEP adequate time to begin restoring these services for the upcoming 2018 spring and summer season, and give time for visitors to make reservations at several campgrounds, including those that had previously been closed.

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“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Malloy, members of the General Assembly, stakeholders, and residents of Connecticut who advocated for this program to help fund our state parks,” DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee said. “Each year, nine million people visit our 110 Connecticut State Parks, providing enjoyment to all who visit. It is important that we provide adequate funding to ensure a safe and positive visitor experience. With this dedicated source of funding, we are able to restore many of the services that had been previously cut as a result of fiscal constraints.” “We are happy to help with providing access to many of Connecticut’s tremendous natural resources and give everyone an opportunity to visit and enjoy them,” DMV Commissioner Michael Bzdyra said.

ENVIRONMENT “Passport to the Parks is a great idea launched at the right time,” Eric Hammerling, Executive Director of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association, said. “Without the revenues generated by the program, there would be further cuts to the state park budget, further closures of campgrounds, and further reductions of full-time and seasonal workers like lifeguards who hold the park system together. We are hopeful that this is a huge leap forward toward both sustainably funding Connecticut’s state parks and opening opportunities for all Connecticut residents to experience them.”

• Four campgrounds will reopen:

Implementation of the Passport to Parks program will support the restoration of a number of services throughout the state park system, including:

• Spring camping will be restored at the following locations:

• All of the state’s eight lifeguarded state park beaches are anticipated to be fully staffed for the summer, including at Hammonasset, Rocky Neck, Sherwood Island, Silver Sands, Black Rock, Burr Pond, Indian Well, and Squantz Pond. (Staffing is contingent upon adequate levels of lifeguards being available each season and adjustments may be made toward the end of the season when many of the lifeguards begin school.) • Hours of operation at the state’s museums and nature centers will be restored from Memorial Day to Labor Day, including at Dinosaur, Gillette Castle, Meigs Point Nature Center, and Fort Trumbull.

o Devil’s Hopyard (East Haddam) – Opening day of fishing season through Labor Day o Green Falls (Voluntown) – Opening day of fishing season through Labor Day o Macedonia Brook (Kent) – Opening day of fishing season through Labor Day o Salt Rock (Sprague) – Weekend before Memorial Day through Labor Day

o American Legion and Peoples State Forests (Barkhamsted) – Opening day of fishing season through Labor Day o Mount Misery (Voluntown) – Opening day of fishing season through Labor Day • Fall camping will be restored at the following locations: o Hammonasset Beach (Madison) – Weekend before Memorial Day through Columbus Day o Rocky Neck (East Lyme) – Weekend before Memorial Day through the end of September o Housatonic Meadows (Sharon) – Weekend before Memorial Day through Columbus Day o Hopeville Pond (Griswold) – Weekend before Memorial Day through the end of September Hammonasset Beach

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ENVIRONMENT Another Brownfield Bites The Dust Raymark Makes Short List For Development

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its initial list of Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites with the greatest expected redevelopment and commercial potential including only two sites in all of New England, and one of them is Raymark Industries Inc. in Stratford, town officials announced on Friday. “Bringing a positive conclusion to the ongoing effort to clean the sites in Stratford associated with Raymark contamination is one of my top priorities as mayor,” Mayor Laura Hoydick said. “I am very pleased that out of all of the Superfund sites across New England, this site in Stratford was one of only two that have made the short list for EPA to place as a high priority. I am also encouraged that the EPA is recognizing the enormous redevelopment potential of this Superfund Site in its assessment going forward.” For decades, Raymark Industries, Inc. operated in Stratford as a manufacturer of friction automobile parts including brakes, brake linings, and clutches until the late 1980s. The manufacturing process utilized many hazardous substances including asbestos, heavy metals (for example, lead), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Waste materials from the facility were offered and distributed to residents as free “fill” and were also placed in dozens of low-lying municipal and commercial locations. The remedy for the former Raymark facility was completed in 1999 and that property has since been redeveloped; however, many other locations are still in need of cleanup. “EPA is more than a collaborative partner to remediate the nation’s most contaminated sites, we’re also working to successfully integrate Superfund sites back into communities across the country,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said. “Today’s redevelopment list incorporates Superfund sites ready to become catalysts for economic growth and revitalization.” “EPA plays a very important role coordinating closely with local and state partners to help New England communities pursue redevelopment opportunities at superfund sites that can spur both improved community health and economic revitalization,” said EPA Regional Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. The Town of Stratford continues to work closely with EPA, the State (CT DEEP), and residents to solicit their input on the least disruptive way to implement the Consolidation Remedy as well as to identify potential redevelopment opportunities to incorporate reuse planning into the remedies. In July 2017, the Superfund Task Force released its recommendations to streamline and improve the Su-

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The site of the Raymark facility before remediation and today.

perfund program including a focus on redevelopment training, tools and resources towards sites on the NPL. EPA will work diligently with developers interested in reusing these and other Superfund sites; will identify potentially interested businesses and industries to keep them apprised of redevelopment opportunities; and will continue to engage with community groups in cleanup and redevelopment activities to ensure the successful redevelopment and revitalization of their communities. Superfund redevelopment has helped countless communities reclaim and reuse thousands of acres of formerly contaminated land. Superfund sites on the list have significant redevelopment potential based on previous outside interest, access to transportation corridors, land values, and other critical development drivers. The EPA has set the expectation that there will be a renewed focus on accelerating work and progress in Stratford and at all Superfund sites across the country. The Superfund program remains dedicated to addressing risk and accelerating progress at all of its sites, not just those on the list.

ENVIRONMENT Getting Around on Two Wheels Projects around the state support burgeoning biking culture

onnecticut has seen a growing biking culture over the last decade. The trend followed biking enthusiasts to people who wanted to be “green” and give up their gas guzzling cars, and now for those who wish to adopt a European-style bike culture where getting to work on two wheels is just as common as four. Many of the towns and cities of Connecticut have been making huge gains in accommodating these residents who want to see better, safer biking infrastructure. According to People for Bikes, Norwalk ranks among the top 5 small cities for biking. This includes traffic easements and bike lanes, but there is still room for improvement: the best cities according People for Bikes don’t even rate four out of five stars. Up in Wethersfield, they unveiled a new bicycle repair station as part of their Bicycle and Pedestrian plan. These useful stations have all the necessary tools for a bicyclist to make repairs on the go: you could adjust your brakes or change a flat, with an integrated lift to make it easier to access the bike without having to bend over to make the repairs. The town obtained the funds through a grant, handled by the Central CT Health District, and three repair stations were installed in the district towns. The unveiling of the repair station, the likes of which have been popping up in bike friendly towns and cities across the state, is just one part of their larger plan, which has over 80 points that they hope to manage in the coming years. They include things like more

signage for motorists to give ample space to pedalers, youth biking programs, and installing more bike and pedestrian lanes so that those wishing to bike to work or just around town will have safe passage no matter where they need to go. Down in New Haven, they are making gains on the final connections in the Farmington Canal Trail when they formally acquired area in the Audubon section of town. According to the New Haven Independent, the city of New Haven has acquired 1,175 sq. ft. behind the building known as the Foundry, which is a critical link in the Canal Trail that goes from New Haven all the way to Springfield, Mass. despite a few gaps. The closing of this gap represents Phase IV of New Haven’s plan. The City did promise repairs to the nearly 200 year old building. As reported by the Independent, they include work “on the buildling’s fire escape, façade, and roof drainage system, and includes re-plumbing the two southern existing roof leaders into two new area drains, waterproofing the existing south façade wall, and replacing the overflow outlet for the existing drywell system.” The last piece of the puzzle exists under a building owned by Konover Commercial Corporation, and that link might be solved by the end of 2018. Until then, there are many ways to be safe on the roads of Connecticut, and much our towns and cities are doing to foster a healthy and safe riding environment.

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ENVIRONMENT Walking The Line

Torrington makes space for pedestrians

s more and more cities and towns aim to build a diversified transportation, we at CT&C have written about bike paths that extend from Long Island Sound to Massachusetts, a new train line that will connect New Haven to Hartford, and all sorts of improvements in between. But among the most important infrastructure in the state is the humble sidewalk. While trains, cars, and bikes dominate the conversation, sidewalks are used every day to link you from place to place. This integral infrastructure is a key factor in pedestrian safety, and that is why Torrington has made it a focus of their infrastructure planning. The Torrington Register Citizen wrote in July 2018 about a development grant that totaled nearly $2 million that the city was awarded by the state to improve safety for pedestrians as part of the 2017 Re-

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sponsible Growth and Transit Oriented Development Grants. From the article, we learn that there will be “nine pedestrian crossings and nine streetlights along the corridor where the upgrades will be built” extending from Torrington Heights Road to the Big Lots Plaza and will take six months to a year to complete. But that wasn’t the end to their plans. They received a Community Connectivity Grant in the amount of $400,000 to pay for a multitude of projects, including those to upgrade to safer crosswalks. In another article, again from the Register Citizen, Mayor Elinor Carbone astutely notes that “A decade ago, roads were designed to offer the fastest way to get there by car,” but that many of those trends are changing in order to offer a more walkable vision of town. These improvements according to the

grant will be towards “Four public parking lots in downtown — at City Hall, Daycoeton and Litchfield streets, Franklin and Center streets and Mason and John streets — lack lighting, directional signage and have hard-to-find crosswalks.” These two projects are a continuation of the already great work the City of Torrington has done to improve sidewalk health. Back in 2016, the Torrington Sidewalk Project widened sidewalks, put in plants, and new lighting with funds coming from the federal government at the time. Whether you’re just going for a nice stroll around downtown or you walk to and from the bus stop to get to work, you recognize that sidewalks are important part of your municipality; and towns and cities must follow Torrington’s lead in recognizing the need for safe pedestrian travel.

ENVIRONMENT

Cleaning Up For a Community

Norwalk’s Ryan Park is Remediated For Public Benefit

brownfield is a sight for sore eyes: a field of formerly industrial facilities that have gone unused for some indeterminate length of time or were redeveloped before any attempts at a cleanup. Both local governments and citizens often cry out for these areas to be remediated or redeveloped, eliminating the blight, but for any number of reasons projects like these are halted. One example is Norwalk’s Ryan Park. The 2.2-acre park was built on former industrial land, and contained a number of chemical contaminants including Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), a compound found in many different products before it was discovered to be toxic and a likely carcinogen. In addition to the PCBs, there were two properties with leaking underground storage tanks. Lead based soil was also found. Since that time, Norwalk has been actively seeking to rectify the situation, working on remediation efforts that would bring the park back to full use. This included digging up and safely disposing of the contaminated soil in a chemical waste landfill or some other method that is approved by the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). These efforts are funded in part by grants from the

Department of Housing and Urban Development and a state grant awarded by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) in February of 2017. Additionally, the plans are part of a Choice Neighborhood Initiative. The park’s remediation could possibly be done by the end of 2018, with additional plantings in 2019. The plans include games tables, a performance area, basketball courts and a fitness area, a walking loop, water area, and even some musical sculptures that invite park-goers to interact with their surroundings. All of these improvements will also be more storm-resilient in keeping with the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) guidelines as Superstorm Sandy had a major impact in the area, including flooding of the Norwalk River. Connecticut has a continued interest in moving projects like Ryan Park forward, and has given out Brownfield Area-Wide Revitalization (BAR) grants. The 2018 recipients include the City of Ansonia, Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation, Towns of Naugatuck, New Milford, Thompson, and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 11

ENVIRONMENT Lessons From The Good Earth

Bristol students learn the value of getting their hands dirty

arming, the act of planting seed and harvesting the crop, is essential to the American legend. The Pilgrims would not have survived their first winter without the assistance of Native American farming techniques. But farming is something we have increasingly lost touch with. That’s starting to change — community gardens are popping up and farmer’s markets a filled with local produce all summer. The City of Bristol Department of Public Works and Board of Education are bringing this essential skill back to school with “Bristol Gardens – A Work of Heart.”

ment at the Greene Hills School, Stafford School, and Ivy Drive School. They were given monetary assistance through a Lowe’s Home Improvement grant, which helped fund flexible outdoor seating, mindfulness tools, and garden supplies.

The concept is easy, students should learn all the necessary skills to lead healthy lives and make good food choices, and those skills should start at school. “The mission of ‘Bristol Gardens – A Work of Heart’ is to encourage Bristol students to go outside and get their hands dirty by growing their very own garden each season.”

The Stafford Elementary School Principal Kristin Irvine was very enthusiastic about the project: “We are excited and eager to start using our outdoor learning classroom this year. We will also be starting a student gardening club where, with the support of Bristol Public Works department, we will be teaching children the benefits of garden and composting, along with the delicious rewards when our vegetables and herbs mature!”

Of the project, Lindsey Rivers, Public Works Analyst for the City of Bristol, said “we want all Bristol students to have the opportunity to get their hands dirty and grow their own food.” So far, students have planted things like lettuce, herbs, garlic, and fall vegetables in their gardens, all of which these students will have the opportunity to bring some of the produce home to eat with their family. The gardens were built with help from many different groups according to the press release for the program: they were principally built by the Public Works Depart-

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Additionally, Mizzy Construction, a local company donated materials and labor to pour the concrete pad that comprises the base of the outdoor learning classroom. ESPN volunteers came to Stafford School and painted sensory walk paths as well as transforming to court yards into gardens for pollinating and vegetables.

Projects like these emphasize and reinforce the skills needed to sustain, skills that are as crucial today as they were 400 years ago when the Pilgrims first learned how to sow the new land from the Native tribes. Michael Dietter, Assistant Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools, said it best “with multiple entry points for learning and collaboration, these gardens will sustain our learners’ interests throughout the school year and beyond.”

ENVIRONMENT

Bloomfield Solar Array Blooms Community solar array a first in Connecticut

n a first for the state of Connecticut, the town of Bloomfield’s Board of Education has partnered with Clean Energy Collective (CEC) and C-TEC Solar to build a 2 megawatt solar array. The energy created from these solar panels will be the first community solar offering, which will allow all local residents, governments, and businesses to choose solar as their energy according to a press release from the town. The 2 megawatt array will provide clean renewable energy to utility customers, and are much more common in other states. Community solar is described as a medium-scale development that provides customers with savings and the ability to support renewable energies. This is beneficial for residents that do want to use solar, but their homes do not receive enough sunlight throughout the day to be feasible, or do not have the money to install them. The Solar Energy Industries Associations (SEIA) has a factsheet on community arrays, saying that there are 43 states with at least one community solar project on-line, with over 1,387 total through 2018. At least 19 states have incentivized these collectives through policy or programs. By their estimation, a single megawatt of solar powers over 150 homes, meaning that the Bloomfield array can power over 300 homes.

Tom Sweeney, the President of Renewables for Clean Energy Collective said “we are excited to launch reservations for our RooflessSolar project in Bloomfield, CT and to be working with the town and Board of Education to expand savings across the community.” The project was developed and will be constructed by C-TEC Solar, a local Bloomfield-based solar contractor, based on a winning bid from the Bloomfield Board of Education. They expect to bring significant savings to the school district, who will be one of the initial customers of this array. “We initiated a rooftop solar program in 2017 for one of our schools,” said William Guzman, Chief Operations Officer for the Bloomfield Board of Education, “but wanted to expand without direct development on school roofs. This venture allowed us to offset our electricity costs, provide local jobs during construction, and enhance student curriculum in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields!” More and more alternative energies are making their way into our towns and cities. It is the wave of the future. When towns work with their board of education and local businesses to pass down savings to their residents, the future looks bright.

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ENVIRONMENT Who Loves The Sun?

Brooklyn seizes opportunity to install solar panels for maximized value

n the growing field of sustainable energy, advocated by groups like SustainableCT that CCM offers with Eastern Connecticut State University, there is no greater symbol than the solar panel. Whenever an effort to save money through energy comes up, a solar panel is too, such as when Brooklyn education officials suggested investing in arrays for their school. Coming off a project to invest in new roofs for their elementary and middle school roofs, town education officials suggested placing arrays on the roofs would be an excellent way to maximize timing. The timing couldn’t make more sense: new roofs are expected to last anywhere from 20 to 30 years depending on climate and type of roofing according to the National Association of Home Builders. Solar panels typically come with performance warranties in the range of 25 years. And the math makes sense too. According to Superintendent Patricia Buell, there is a projected savings of $1.1 million and $3.8 million over the course of the 25 year lifespan. That equals out to $44,000 to $152,000 a year in savings after initial costs. From the Norwich Bulletin, Buell noted that the town had looked at two types of plans: ownership and power purchase agreements. Under the latter, you do not pay for the solar panels or installation, but you lose a cut of the money that the array would bring in. Brooklyn ultimately went with the former choice, where the costs are frontloaded. From the Bulletin article, it is noted that the full costs are estimated at $1.1 million dollars, but that they will move to receive state funding, which may ultimately reduce the cost of the project by 70 percent.

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The town is following a trend where many states and cities have considered new buildings come equipped with solar panels. California became the first state in 2018 to mandate that all new buildings have solar panels starting in 2020. The New York Times noted that this was “all the more remarkable” because it was unanimously decided by the California Energy Commission. Our northeast neighbors New Jersey and Massachusetts have also considered this type of legislation, as well as Washington D.C. All Solar Panels have an Energy Payback Time (EPBT) that is factored into legislation like Califor-

nia’s, and small scale projects like Brooklyn’s. It is a measurement of how long in time it takes to fully pay off the initial investment. According to Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy systems, EBPT has gone from three years in 1990 to a year and a half in 2010, and it’s getting better every year. Investments like these are increasingly making more sense for towns and cities, even for whole states to mandate them on new buildings. Brooklyn approved the motion at the December 13, 2018 meeting, and soon the school’s new roofs will have an array of moneymakers on top.

ENVIRONMENT

The Magic School Bus

Benefits of electric school bus fleets explored in Fairfield

s more and more cities adopt fuel efficient vehicles for their fleets, they have been finding that the drawbacks of this emerging technology is almost non-existent. Even police have found uses for electric vehicles like the Tesla, which offers superior power to even some fueled vehicles. With the successes of these fleet cars, the question is what is the next step? At the Fairfield Green Wheels Expo, the future might be school buses.

One often cited drawback to electric vehicles is that they are limited by their “tank,” which is an array of batteries. But towns that have begun implementing electric bus fleets, whether for school districts or for general transit have not found that problem.

Held by the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force (SFTF), the Green Wheels Expo brought in an electric school bus from the City of White Plains, NY, built by the Lion Electric Company and operated by National Express Transit according to the press release.

“In 2014, Seneca, SC became the first city in the world to launch an all-electric bus fleet. The buses have outperformed heir diesel equivalents in fuel maintenance costs and exceeded expectations regarding charging time, range, and battery life.”

Why change the technology for school buses? Unlike electric school buses, there are many drawbacks to diesel school buses. One obvious to any person who has driven behind a school bus is that diesel buses exhaust is toxic stuff. A powerpoint held on the SFTF website says that there are over 40 known cancercausing organic substances in diesel exhaust and the chemicals include Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, 1,3-butadiene. This does not produce an environment conducive to a child’s health as they are exposed to these noxious gases in the vehicle whether or not the windows are open. Compare this to the fact that electric vehicles do not produce gases of this nature.

In fact, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Enivornment America Research and Policy Center, and Frontier Group released a joint report on towns and cities across the country that say almost the exact opposite.

“In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources tested electric school buses in three school districts across the state. The vehicles produced significantly fewer harmful emissions than diesel school buses, had no difficulties with range, and cold weather did not affect their performance. Fuel cost savings were smaller than expected, however, mainly due to unmanaged charging of batteries and high electricity demand charges. All three school districts chose to keep their buses after the pilot.” It’s pretty clear that there are advantages to electric school buses, and towns that can look into them should look at the financial benefits, but also the health and environmental benefits.

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ENVIRONMENT Putting The Green In Greenwich Energy Commission looks to reduce energy spending

ccording to Wallethub, Connecticut has the unenviable position of being the most expensive state for energy costs in the country. Both monthly electricity and monthly heating-oil ranked in the top five most costly states, only gasoline was moderately cheap compared to other states. Perhaps it was with this information in mind that Greenwich has formed an Energy Commission. The stated goal of the commission is to cut energy consumption by at least 20% with a long term goal of a reduction of 40%. Couched under the Conservation Commission, these reductions hope to make a dent in the nearly $6 million the town spends annually on energy. According to their energy conservation plan released in June, this makes up nearly 1.5% of the town’s operating budget, if they make their goals, which would be a savings of $1.2 – $2.5 million. In their conservation plan, they outline some of the methods that they will use to reach these goals. In existing buildings, there will be moves to replace appliances and light bulbs with Energy Star and LEDs respectively. Just a few years ago, LED light bulbs were expensively priced, but as production and adoption increase, they became much more feasible for large scale projects. Other initiatives on existing buildings is to look heavily into renewable energy sources such as solar.

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But, on new buildings, the game is completely different. On the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, they are starting with a “clean slate” to add green measures wherever applicable, meaning that they “could be designed and built to zero energy, if the Town had the will to do so.” “None of these changes is likely to be implemented to a meaningful extent,” the conservation plan says, “without a dedicated Energy Commission charged with formulating goals and overseeing the path forward for both municipal buildings and the community.” Greenwich is not exactly new at being green. They already have joined the Clean Energy Program, C-PACE, Energize CT, and Solarize CT; all of which have the goals of going green to save the planet and to find cost-effective ways to build up that green infrastructure. The Energy Commission is acknowledgement of the concerted effort a town must make to enact change. Joining one of the above organizations, or CCM’s own Sustainable CT can lead a municipality on a path that is both green and cost-efficient. In a state that ranks as the most expensive for energy costs, those savings can really add up!

ENVIRONMENT Hartford A City To Watch Energy efficiency puts Hartford on the map

uly of 2019 is the hottest month on record for the city of Hartford, and thanks to global warming, six of the hottest summers on record have been in the last 10 years. That means a lot of ACs will be running, but in the city of Hartford, most of them are probably energy savers: Hartford was recently named a top 25 Clean Energy City. The scorecard released by the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) which “tracks policy efforts to advance renewable energy in addition to energy efficiency, because both are needed to build a clean energy future and address climate change.” The Scorecard ranks the cities in five policy areas: Local government operations, community-wide intitiatives, building policies, energy and water utilities, and transportation policies. Three of Connecticut’s major cities ranked on the ACEEE’s list, with Hartford coming in at 24, Bridgeport at 42, and New Haven at 51. A special ranking was given to Hartford, along with Cincinnati and Providence as a 2019 Cities to Watch. From the ACEEE website: These three cities “did not make the top 10 but stand out for adopting several major clean energy policies and programs since early 2017, improving their ranks since the last scorecard. Hartford created an energy improvement district, began converting its streetlights to LEDs, and has taken steps to improve location efficiency through improvements to the zoning code.” In 2017, the City of Hartford adopted the Climate Action Plan, which set out to identify “goals and strategies within six interconnected areas: Energy, Food, Landscape, Transportation, Waste, and Water,” with the stated goal of making “incremental but consistent progress” consistent with values of “Public Health, Economic Development, and Social Equity.” Efforts like this have translated into major successes for the city, which are being recognized by the ACEEE. Overall, Connecticut is in the top ten for energy efficiency, dropping to sixth from fifth in 2017. Governor Lamont was quick to praise the report, he said on WSHU, “You know, Hartford, we do have a lot to celebrate. We’ve got a lot of momentum here. And it’s good to see us moving up in the rankings in something, and energy efficiency is important.” Surprisingly, the total score for Hartford out of a possible 100 was 43.50, which earned it the top-third position, even Boston at number one still only scored a 77.50. This goes to show that the amount of work being done is a great start, but is still not enough. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 17

ENVIRONMENT Chargin’ Up My Batteries

Vernon installs new electric vehicle charging station

hile much of the talk around Connecticut’s infrastructure is aimed at fixing things, mainly bridges and roads, there is also the need to create a new infrastructure for emerging technologies. The primary force necessitating this change is the electric vehicle, which needs a charging infrastructure. In October of this year, Vernon installed their first public charging station.

The station cost the town $4,000, with $1,500 from an Eversource Energy grant, according to the Journal Enquirer.

There has been a slow transition from primarily fuel driven cars. The Prius was the first major step into electric vehicles 20 years ago, which used a battery in a hybrid model. As that battery grew more efficient, many car manufacturers realized the possibility of entirely electric vehicles, and the market grew almost instantly.

But another benefit of a charging station like this is that electric vehicle owners typically seek out locations that have these charging stations. This means that they will have time while their car is charging to find something to eat or enjoy the town’s offerings.

The biggest change came with vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model 3, two of the most affordable options for electric vehicles on the market right now, allowing more people than ever to purchase this new technology. With the impending environmental changes, and pollution due to vehicles skyrocketing, this technology became more important than ever. The 2010s have seen a rise in these vehicles, and many places are doing their part to create that infrastructure to charge vehicles, which helps them extend their range. The Town of Vernon is installing one of these charging stations at the Senior Center on Bolton Road.

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Vernon hopes that this provide many benefits for the town. Among them, they are submitting this project as part of their certification efforts for Sustainable CT, developed by CCM, municipal officials, and the Institute of Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University.

The only issue would be if the charging station becomes full, as like with parking spaces, only so many people can use the charger at the same time. According to InsideEVs.com, which looks at Electric Vehicle sales, there were about 107,000 electric vehicle sales in the first half of 2019, compared to 64,000 in the same time period in 2018. Electric Vehicles are clearly the wave of the future when it comes to personal vehicles. They’re even becoming an integral part of fleet vehicles like police cars and public transit like buses. Towns like Vernon are part of that wave that are embracing these changes, setting it up for a brighter, cleaner, greener tomorrow.

ENVIRONMENT Harnessing the Energy of Sea Breeze Bridgeport and New London will soon have windmill farm off coast

oon, on a clear day you might be able to look off the Connecticut coast and see giants, or at least a Windmill farm providing the residents of Connecticut with clean power. Companies such as Eversource, Deepwater and Vineyard Wind have submitted proposals in response to a call from Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to build an offshore wind fuel cell to “secure cost-effective resources consistent with the state’s energy and environmental goals,” as stated in their press release. Ultimately, in an update from the original article, the bid was awarded to Vineyard Wind for their Park City Project. “Vineyard Wind is proud that our Park City Wind proposal was selected in this competitive process and we are excited to work with Governor Lamont and DEEP to deliver jobs and economic development opportunities to the Bridgeport region and meaningful reductions in harmful carbon emissions,” said Lars Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “The announcement takes Connecticut one step closer to being the epicenter of the new offshore wind industry, with thriving ports in both Bridgeport and New London. We look forward to building on the work already underway with a network of project partners, local officials, the maritime community, other developers, and all stakeholders involved to make Connecticut a hub for the offshore wind industry in the United States for decades to come.” They expect there to be upwards of a billion dollars in economic benefit for Bridgeport.

As you might be able to surmise from the name of the project, the majority of the wind project is expected to take place off the coast of Bridgeport, but it also alludes to an area in New London, where two other major projects were proposed. Just this February, Governor Lamont and the City of New London reached a deal to revitalize the New London State Pier into a new wind hub, bringing in Orsted and Eversource, which had proposed plans in the original phase. There is no current timeline on completion this project Plans like this have garnered criticism for disrupting views, most notably in Scotland, which received international attention. But the plans for Connecticut would be built far enough off the coast that they would not disrupt the scenic beaches that are so popular in the state. Another concern is to fishermen in the area. According to a report from WTNH, some fishermen have reported damaged equipment from the Block Island Wind Farm. Mike Gambardella, a local fisherman and owner of Gambardella Seafood Wholesalers, says that the “turbines interfere with radar and fishermen worry the fish stock could be affected.” Connecticut plans to continue to bolster its renewable energy resources, and wind farms are just one part of the larger plan that includes other alternative sources like solar energy. Governor Ned Lamont has said that he wants to turn Connecticut into the Saudi Arabia of wind power, so expect there to be plenty more wind farms to come!

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ENVIRONMENT The Giving Trees

Municipalities across the state struggle with tree loss

onnecticut certainly does not have the largest forests in America. As a matter of fact, the Tongass National Forest in Alaska is nearly five times bigger than the Nutmeg state as a whole. Despite this, trees are an integral part of the state’s ecosystem, and disease, invasive species, age, and weather are threatening that stasis. All over Connecticut, municipalities are facing a tree depletion crisis. One of the primary causes of the destruction of Connecticut’s trees is the Agrilus planipennis, also known as the Emerald Ash Borer. The insect is native to Asia, and its destructive power is in its name: the insect bores into the wood grains of Ash trees, laying eggs between layers of bark. Damage is often difficult to detect until it’s too late. The gypsy moth caterpillar and a host of localized diseases have not helped the situation. Another problem is the aging out of trees. Unlike in thick forests, trees in the hearts of municipalities don’t have natural regrowth cycles. Once they reach a certain age, they become not only more susceptible to disease and infestation, but rot and a host of other common maladies. The problem is exacerbated by poor weather cycles. Since 2000, the state has had extended periods of moderate droughts, reaching Severe and Extreme Drought for a large part of 2016 and 2017 according to the U.S. Drought Monitor map. These conditions too are responsible for frail trees. During storms, these weaker trees are good candidates for broken limbs that can damage a house or a car, or take down power lines. Think of the massive destruction that the rare tornado did to Hamden, especially in the Sleeping Giant area, which took over a year to clean up. Some experts are saying that it will take an entire generation to restore the park to its pre-tornado splendor. There are some management trajectories to take.

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Eversource, for instance, manages trees around their electric lines. The Norwich Bulletin reported in March that the company would be taking care of tree work in Franklin, Lebanon and Colchester throughout Spring and early Summer. This includes taking down hazardous limbs and entire trees that pose a threat to the infrastructure. While Eversource will only have to care for trees that line their electric lines, municipalities will have to be responsible for the rest of the trees on public property. Further reporting from the Norwich Bulletin said that Brooklyn spent $70,000 to take down 400 dead or dying trees in fiscal year 2018-19, and a figure that will likely be spent again in fiscal year 2019-20. This figure is only covers the cost to remove the trees, not replacement, which is vital to the wellbeing of towns. The Hartford Courant reported that in addition to the well-known benefit of filtering pollution out of the air, neighborhoods with trees often have lower crime rates and higher property values. Because of the shade they provide, they cut down on air conditioning costs and heat wave issues. There is even some evidence that there are far fewer crimes in areas with healthy vegetation. But in the same article, they cite that Hartford was spending $500,000 a year to plant approximately 1000 trees. When you do the math out, between the Brooklyn and Hartford figures, it cost $675 to remove and replant a tree. It would cost Brooklyn $540,000 if they replanted every tree they took down. This level of cost is prohibitive, and there have been fewer and fewer options to replenish the landscape. But trees are a necessary part of our ecosphere. Community and businesses will need to be involved in order to reline our streets with trees. Our towns and cities will be rewarded with fresh air, cool shade, and all the incredible benefits of living near trees.

ENVIRONMENT Littering Takes Toll On Roads Ashford Conservation Commission cleans up for nature and beauty

hat do you do when you notice that debris is piling up in your roads? Do you leave it or just complain about it? For the Ashford Conservation Commission, the answer is you organize a group of interested residents to get out trash bags and take charge of the cleanliness of your town. Over three days in March and April, Loretta Wrobel, Chair of the Ashford Conservation Commission and Pamm Summers, a resident of Ashford, did just that. Loretta told CT&C via email that over the three work days they had collected 112 bags of trash, which they estimate to be 1,680 pounds of trash. “Our goal is to encourage people to get out and take care of their roads and educate the people about the dangerous impact of plastic on our environment,” she told us. Volunteers were given all the accoutrements to safely collect the refuse that collects on the sides of the road including gloves, pick up sticks, and safety vests, and were given the option of cleaning a street of their choosing or participating in group cleanups of highly affected areas. These were provided with a grant from The Last Green Valley, and additional support was given by the Ashford Business Association. It bears being said that the efforts by these civicallyminded individuals show a care for nature and the well-being of a town that goes above and beyond, there are some pesky habits that cause the trash to pile up in the first place.

Of course, the prime suspects are litterers, especially those in vehicles that toss all sorts of things from their cars. This includes cigarette butts, which are the most commonly littered item on earth, accounting for a whopping 38% of all U.S. roadway litter, according to the Keep America Beautiful organization. Additionally, if not properly disposed of, they can be a fire hazard in wooded areas. One tip is to keep an ashtray in the car that can easily be removed from the car and disposed of properly. Drivers should keep a trash bag for all other litter in your car. Additionally, one of the other major culprits of roadside litter is trash or recycling that didn’t make it into the garbage trucks. Making sure that all trash is in bags and that recyclables like paper are properly bundled can prevent much of the scatter that you see. Simple practices like recycling, reuse, and composting will greatly reduce the amount of trash that households throw away each month. “Next year we hope to involve the school, perhaps having the children make posters,” Loretta said, and they are looking to form a committee to ban plastic bags in Ashford. Even in the best of all worlds, debris and litter will still find its way onto our streets. Thankfully there are people out there like Loretta Wrobel and Pamm Summers to help clean up and lead by example.

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ENVIRONMENT Land Trust Awarded For Efforts

Town of Bethany recognizes benefits of volunteer efforts design trails. All of Mendell’s Folly is available to hike, but no motorized vehicles or hunting; both dogs and horses are allowed, but dogs must be leashed and horses only on marked paths.

legacy in their wills. Having your financial support provides a war chest to take advantage of land preservation opportunities when they arise. Thank you for your support.”

Linda Francois, president of the Land Trust offered this quote upon accepting the award: “I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of our wonderful group of volunteer directors and officers, and other terrific volunteers, and with grateful thanks to our loyal supporters, including friends who have left a

It is with the tireless work of Linda Francois and the volunteers and staff of the Bethany Land Trust that the town has been able to conserve so much land. In each town and city in Connecticut there are people who are making all of these parks possible, making Connecticut a better, greener place for everyone.

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Of note was the recent acquisition of the Globe Preserve, described by the Land Trust as a 25-acre inholding in the Mendell’s Folly/ Woodward Preserve complex that was retained by the family when the Mendell’s Folly Preserve was donated to the Trust in 1971.

The purchase came during the Land Trust’s 50th year, and had established a Stewardship Fund to protect and preserve in perpetuity the 186-acre complex, as well as to

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The Land Trust was able to purchase the property at half the appraised value due to the generosity of the Mendell/Grobe family, and had utilized a grant from the Audubon Society/Army Corps of Engineers In-Lieu Fee Wetland mitigation program to make the purchase.

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In the June issue of the Bethany Bulletin, the organization was recognized for “recent open space acquisitions and over 50 years of land stewardship” in the town. At the town meeting this past May, the award was presented by Bruce Loomis, the Chairman of the Bethany Conservation Commission to “recognize excellence in environmental protection or significant contributions to the advancement of conservation.”

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ne of the primary lessons to be taken from the Parks Project is how precious these parks are. In the grand scheme of things, the first European settlers came in the not too distant past, and development has happened at a break-neck speed. These plots of land have had to be preserved or reclaimed to be the natural oases that they once were, and that’s only done through the hard work of people or organizations. Recently, the Bethany Land Trust was named Conservation Organization of the Year for these efforts.

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ENVIRONMENT Green Towns Certified Bronze and Silver Thirty-two communities achieve prestigious Sustainable CT certification

hirty-two more municipalities can now say that they are on a path to becoming more efficient, resilient, and inclusive after achieving certification in Sustainable CT, a program that empowers towns and cities to create high collective impact for current and future residents. The certifications were presented during lunch at this year’s CCM convention. Towns obtain certification by racking up action points, which have been designed with flexibility to meet the varying needs of all municipalities. All thirty-two 2019 certified communities demonstrated significant achievements in nine sustainability impact areas, ranging from community building, thriving local economies and vibrant arts and culture to clean transportation and diverse housing. In addition, all certified communities addressed diversity, inclusion, and equity when implementing sustainability actions. The certification submissions were rigorously evaluated by independent experts and Sustainable CT partners. Certification lasts for three years, bringing the total amount of Sustainable CT certified communities to 47, more than a quarter of the state’s communities. This year’s municipalities are: Coventry, Guilford, Mansfield, Middletown, New Haven, Simsbury, South Windsor, Vernon and Windham, who have achieved Silver Certification, the highest honor in the program. And Ashford, Bethany, Bloomfield, Brookfield, Burlington, Cornwall, Darien, East Hartford, East Lyme, Essex, Groton, Manchester, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Portland, Scotland, Waterford, West Haven, Weston, Wilton and Woodbury, who were awarded with Bronze certification.

“We are thrilled to recognize a growing number of communities who are deeply committed to sustainability,” said Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham and co-chair of the Sustainable CT Board of Directors. “These towns have shown great leadership in completing many actions that increase sustainability while also saving money, promoting health, and increasing residents’ connection and sense of place.” “Sustainable CT Certified communities are models for all forward-looking local governments,” said Joe DeLong, Executive Director of Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM). “They are doing the important work of ensuring more resilient, equitable communities and more vibrant economies.” There are an additional 42 municipalities who are on track to receiving certification in the near future, meaning just over half of all municipalities in the state are participants in Sustainable CT. “We are so inspired by this year’s certified Sustainable CT communities,” said Lynn Stoddard, Executive Director of the program. “From empowering teens to lead environmental projects to offering reduced-cost produce grown on municipal property to low-income community residents, we’re seeing such thoughtful and innovative local action.” Sustainable CT is a joint partnership between CCM and the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, and is funded by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the Common Sense Fund, and the Smart Seed Fund. For more information on Sustainable CT, visit https:// www.ccm-ct.org/SustainableCT. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 23

ENVIRONMENT Care Of Acme Co.

Fake plastic coyotes dot Middletown park

retty much everyone has heard of a scarecrow, but have you ever heard of a scare coyote? The city of Middletown has come up with a unique looking solution to a rampant goose situation in the Butternut Hollow Park by placing fake plastic coyotes all around the park to keep them away from designated areas. The goal is not to eliminate the geese from the park, but to stop droppings from causing deleterious effects like algae blooms.

The city has focused so much attention on this one park because there have been extensive renovations at the park, which have led to increased use by residents. Of the many projects part of the renovation include stocking the pond with fish, a brand new playground, walking paths, and a pavilion picnicking area. Because of the investment in public use, the park’s managers felt it was important to keep the geese away from areas where humans would be playing and eating.

According to a report from the Hartford Courant, the city buys the fake coyotes from Dicks Sporting Goods at around $130 a pop, which have a poseable tail that moves in the wind for a more realistic effect. While coyotes are not exactly known for their smarts – at least in the cartoons – geese have seemingly outwitted the plastic predators: “One day last week as a few families were visiting the playground, the flock walked from an open area across the street from the park past the fake coyotes to the side of the pond abutting an apartment complex, seemingly cautious of the decoy but still undeterred.”

But one of the other reasons to keep the geese away is because of how nutrient rich geese droppings are. As noted in the Courant piece, the droppings are essentially a type of manure that act as plant food. When the water in the pond gets oversaturated it leads to algae blooms, which can be detrimental to the stocked fish, and the entire ecosphere in the pond.

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Since the program has started, the algae levels are down, and human use is up, proving once again that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

ENVIRONMENT The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepare Hamden uses POCD to build a sustainable future for town and residents

ncertainty is a problem for municipalities. Whether as immediate as delays in receiving TAR grant money or as long term as global warming, this not knowing can throw a wrench in the works of budgeting, planning, development, and conservation. And yet, municipalities are expected to prepare a Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) every ten years. For Hamden, that meant planning for uncertainty. These POCD documents are required by state law, with repercussions if they are not completed. As part of Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended by Public Act 15-95, any municipality that does not adopt a POCD at least once every ten years

shall be ineligible for discretionary state funding unless such prohibition is expressly waived by the OPM Secretary. But they are also opportunities to let residents know just where a town wants to go. For the next ten years, Hamden has chosen to guide its development and growth along the overall theme of sustainability. According to the POCD, “Hamden wants to be a sustainable community that maintains the things that people love about the community, addresses aspects that people don’t love about Hamden, and ensures the long-term stability of this place we call home.” Many, when hearing the word “sustainable” immediately think of environmental sustainability. According to a survey done by Planimetrics,

the company that prepared the POCD, nearly 90% of Hamden residents felt that Hamden should do more to be a leader in terms of promoting energy efficiency and water conservation, while 66% believe that climate change is becoming an issue which is affecting Hamden. Residents will undoubtedly remember many severe storms and weather related disasters such as the tornado that swept through the area. Over the next ten years, the city will be reviewing and improving approaches to respond to events like these in order to protect the residents and mitigate fallout. Combining the two efforts is their emphasis on protecting natural resources. The tornado did damage not only to private property, but to public property and parks such as the popular Sleeping Giant State Park that is one of the most popular attractions in the area. On Town owned property, they say that “trees are an important part of the character and infrastructure of Hamden.” Most notably, the document plans for a 20” sea level rise by 2050. “People may not think of Hamden as a coastal community, but there are areas along the Quinnipiac River and Mill River in the southern part of Hamden which are considered ‘coastal embayments’ and ‘tidal marshes,’” according to the POCD. Not only will the town be planning for the protection of valuable grounds, but add to them by creating access for kayaks, canoes and similar craft. These POCD documents while required by the state, help a town or city plan by playing the soothsayer. Asking yourself, what do we think is going to happen in the next decade, then taking a stab at answering that question. While it may be impossible to truly tell the future, it’s a good idea to plan for whatever may come. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 25

ENVIRONMENT East Rock Park, New Haven

Shining Light on CT’s “Hidden Gems” by Claudia LaBelle, 2019 CCM Summer Intern

hen visiting various town parks around the state, town employees often refer to their park as a “hidden gem.” Well, now they’re coming out of hiding. Town parks provide a wonderful space for the community to come together, both for enjoyment and the improvement of the park itself. They also provide a safe outdoor space for visitors to learn, relax and take in the fresh air. As opposed to state parks, almost every town has at least one town park. These parks vary greatly, from your classic park to ones with beach or water access, incredible views, significant historical features or parks that have been restored and improved. When you imagine a classic park, you picture a space for recreation that provides a safe entrance into the natural environment around you. In Connecticut some of these classic parks include Cat Hollow Park and Clark Park. Cat Hollow Park is located in Killingly and has a paved trail, making it accessible for biking, strollers and people with physical disabilities. The trail is along the Whetstone Brook with sites including the mill pond and waterfalls. Following the path next to the calming brook will bring a feeling of peace and serenity to any visitor.

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Clark Park is located in Old Saybrook and, at first glance, the park does not seem like much — just a few baseball fields and a basketball court. But, when you walk into the park you will discover a glistening pond hopping with wildlife and wooded walking trails surrounded by bright green ferns. These lively features allow people to connect with nature. There is nothing like a rewarding view after a walk, run or hike. East Rock Park, Hubbard Park and Henry Park all provide breathtaking views to their visitors. Hubbard Park in Meriden has a number of features such as a pond, playgrounds, and a pool, in addition to the trails leading up to Castle Craig. Use of the pond ranges from fishing to feeding the many different birds. This allows for a variety of different people to enjoy the space. If you make the drive or walk up the winding roadway to Castle Craig, you are rewarded at the top by the vast views that stretch as far as New Haven and Long Island Sound. Henry Park in Vernon is home to the historic Fox Hill Tower which has a beautiful view of Downtown Rockville from the top. The park also has a pool, picnic area and a pavilion, and all of these amenities including the tower can be rented out for parties and events.

ENVIRONMENT East Rock Park in New Haven has a number of recreational amenities, ranging from athletic fields and courts to access to the river for canoes and kayaks. The park also provides a view of the city like no other spot in the area. You can even see all the way to the CCM office!

Mohegan Park in Norwich offers a very different environment, with a pleasant pond that has a fenced in beach with a life-guard, making it a great place for families. There is also a paved walking trail around the pond, allowing those who are physically disabled to enjoy the park.

Similarly, Elizabeth Park in Hartford and West Hartford provides a view from one of its gardens of the Hartford skyline. The park is well known for its beautiful rose garden, but there are also eight other gardens with a variety of eye-catching plantings.

Both Riverside Park in New London and Riverfront Park in Glastonbury have beautiful river views. Riverfront Park provides access to the Connecticut River with its boat launch and dock. In addition, there is a boat house for visitors to enjoy the river passing by, and events are often held inside. Riverside Park allows people to view passing boats and wildlife along the Thames River.

Everybody loves spending time by the water and Connecticut town parks offer many different ways to do so. Seaside Park in Bridgeport provides a long stretch of beach that welcomes dogs and their owners to enjoy Long Island Sound. Culture of the community is featured in the park as well, with a number of sculptures and public art. This park as well as Elizabeth and Hubbard Parks were designed by the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. As seen through these parks, Olmsted brought elegant greenspace to otherwise urban areas. Falls Village in Cannon features rushing waterfalls that can be viewed by hiking the wooded trails or lounging on the rocks.

Improvement and change are key to success in any situation, but they are especially important in something as essential to a community as a park. Riverside and Riverfront parks have both undergone restoration with great results. Riverside Park has improved its reputation with efforts made by the City of New London to make a safe and inviting environment through events like the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Clean-up Day. Trees have been cleared to open up the park to the sun and the river, lights have been added to the bas-

Falls Village, Canaan

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ENVIRONMENT ketball court, and Emilie’s Shady Spot playground (dedicated to Emilie Parker, a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting), and a gazebo with picnic tables were added. When visiting, Mayor Michael Passero expressed “it’s still a work in progress”, but all of their accomplishments would not have been met without the many volunteers who have given their time to the park. Riverfront Park, a former tank farm, has been transformed into a great park that has been acknowledged for the Town of Glastonbury’s efforts with two awards, the “Community Partnership Program Excellence Award” and the “Innovation in Park Design Award.” In reference to the creation of the park, Town Manager Richard Johnson said, “I can’t think of a better way to describe it than community partnership.” A tremendous amount of work and time have been put into this park to make it the hub it is today. When asked about the future of the park, Johnson said, “for decades residents of Glastonbury and others are going to be able to go to programs, play basketball, go to the playground with their children or just sit and watch the river go by.”

Elizabeth Park, Hartford

Parks with historical significance provide a great place to learn about and remember the past. Harrybrooke Park in New Milford, known for its peacocks who have recently made a reappearance to the park, has much to offer. The land has a long history going back to the 1940’s when it was the Harden Estate. When the Hardens passed away they left all the land to the people of New Milford. Visitors are welcome to walk the grounds, enjoy the sound of the rushing water-fall and even tour the Harden House Museum.

Cat Hollow Park has a historical background as well. This land was once the site of three mills that used the brook for water power. Throughout the years the mills have worn many different hats, there were saw, grist, cotton and woolen mills. Some ruins of the mills can be seen by the trail and the Elmville Mill is actually still standing. Now that these gems are out of hiding, get out and enjoy all that they have to offer!

Mohegan Park, Norwich

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Canal Connects Cities

ENVIRONMENT

From the coast to state line

n Connecticut, if you were asked to name something that benefited towns and cities, people’s health and well-being, and spanned pretty much the entire state, the one logical conclusion is the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail (FCHT). Barbara Collins, the President of the Farmington Valley Trails Council and Lisa Fernandez, the President of the Farmington Canal Rail to Trail Association joined the Municipal Voice to talk the FCHT. For those not familiar with this hidden gem, the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail sits on the remains of a canal route that extends from New Haven at the coast up through Northampton, Massachusetts. Eventually that canal became a railway, and as the railway fell into disuse around thirty, forty years ago, advocates began turning these railways into trails birthing the Rails-ToTrails movement. Lisa Fernandez said it’s like the Appalachian Trail, but instead of connecting mountain, “it connects cities,” and that is true in more ways than one. From New Haven to the Mass border, each town is essentially responsible for their section of the trail. Because of this, the FCHT represents one of the largest examples of regionalization in the state. Municipalities cooperate to connect the route for one seamless rail system. As it stands right now, the largest gap is in the Plainville/Southington area, which has run into issues because trains still actively run on their section of the trail, forcing study and planning to figure out the best ways to connect the trail. Each section can be used distinctly, with our guests both citing dog walkers and joggers as primary examples, but increasingly the Trail has become a destination quite like the Appalachian Trail, where cyclists will start in New Haven and make their way up to Northampton. There are plans to extend the trail even

further into Mass., but Connecticut had already laid the groundwork for the trail, which is why it is increasingly inching towards completion. But the work is never over, both organizations are run entirely on volunteer time, and according to Collins, some of the primary functions include fundraising, being on boards and committees like the Department of Transportation committee, looking for grants, maintaining the trails, education and advocating. Collins’ group, which primarily advocates for the northern section, offers coupons for bike helmets to make sure that cyclists are safe, while Fernandez’s group offers bike bells for a small donation (or free if you couldn’t afford it). The FCHT does not stay entirely on the trail, or comes into intersections with active and busy streets, so safety is a must for cyclists and pedestrians. The Trail, since it is a trail connecting cities, is increasingly been a boon for businesses along the way. Cyclists and pedestrians are making a day of it, so to speak, and might stop and get lunch off the trail. As the popularity grows, more people are seeing the utilitarian uses of the FCHT, with plans to connect the trail to the Airline trail, to move the trail into Hartford, extend it to Long Wharf, and create branches to universities across the state. The ecological benefit of the trail is manifold as CT residents get their cars off the road and put their feet and bikes on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. For Fernandez, it’s a return to Connecticut’s roots before roads, hence Heritage in the name. For Collins, its utility extends far beyond the physical, “it’s a peaceful way to enjoy life.”

The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Connects Cities

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ENVIRONMENT A Time To Repurpose Recycling

A Chinese policy has Connecticut rethinking how it recycles

n 1971, an actor playing a Native American looked at America’s littered landscape and wept in a now infamous commercial created by Stamford, Connecticut’s own Keep America Beautiful. The non-profit organization, which counted Philip Morris and CocaCola as founding members, wanted to show the effects of pollution and littering. The tagline was “People Start Pollution. People Can Stop It,” but today is more remembered for the single tear that streamed down the actor’s face.

be felt in Connecticut.

This commercial might not be the first call to action in the war on litter, but it certainly fit in well with the post-60s pro-Earth revolution. People bemoaned the “hippies” with their Earth Day — first celebrated on April 22, 1970 — but something clicked in the American psyche.

Getting right to the heart of the matter, Blake said that recycling went from a positive to negative.

By 1971 Oregon had introduced the bottle deposit on soda and beer bottles to incentivize recycling and the program finally had a logo, a Mobius strip instantly recognizable by people all around the world. That was the tipping point. Municipalities around the country began to offer curbside recycling and even mandate it. By 1990, the theme of the 20th Earth Day was recycling, and curbside programs in the United States are exploding. Americans recycle and want to recycle. 1991 was the year that Connecticut mandated recycling, and many young Nutmeggers have never known a world without it. Left out of the discussion is where the recycled waste went. For years, recyclers could ship their recyclables to China at a profit. The market for recycled goods in China made sense because the processed products would stay in country to be made into new raw consumer goods. Then in 2017, the Chinese Government announced The National Sword, a policy that limits the kind of recyclables the country accepts. No longer will the country take on what it terms “foreign garbage,” limiting the amount of impurities in recyclables in order to protect its own environment, which is the world’s most polluted (rated by CO2 emissions, America is number two). Like America in the 1970s, China is having a moment where pollution and belief in global warming are incentivizing green investment, but it is having far reaching effects from Europe, to Oregon, and it is beginning to

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“Everything’s been flipped on its head.” “It’s collapsing right before our very eyes.” Those were just some of the things Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker had to say in a phone call to CT&C about the implications of China’s new policy. It was a theme that was threaded through every town official or recycling expert’s comments on the situation.

The Mayor isn’t saying that recycling is a bad thing (he has some good ideas to turn this back into a positive, but more on that later); he’s referring to tipping fees. Those responsible for the disposal of recycling waste will know what a tipping fee is. Waste Management defines it as the “fee charged for the amount of waste disposed of by customers at a landfill,” but this process goes one step further for recycling. Once the products are sorted, they could then be sold to another party who would use them downstream. That revenue gets shared back to the municipality. But that’s not true anymore because of China’s National Sword Policy. Tim DeVivo, owner and operator of Willimantic Waste Paper with his brother Tom, a Windham Board Member, said to the Hartford Courant that markets for certain recyclables are “the lowest [they’ve] ever seen.” Put into hard figures, Tom Gaffey of the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) which is in charge of 70 towns and cities in the Hartford area said that just two years ago you could expect a return of $170 a ton for old newspaper, which is down to just $30 today, leaving little margin or no margins for the municipalities. In many cases it’s cost them money. Seeking out a reason for this cost difference, CT&C contacted Jennifer Heaton-Jones, the executive director of the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) located in Brookfield. She explained “the root of the problem is contamination cost money. “The poor markets have increased tip fees and forced

ENVIRONMENT transfer stations and Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) to implement contamination fees on the haulers. The haulers are not going to eat the increased tip fees and contamination charges, they will pass those fees onto their customers whether they are a municipality or a resident.” Essentially, because of China’s new policy, certain recyclables like mixed papers and plastics were considered contaminated, and needed to be sorted out. This not only increased facilities costs in sorting the products, but the ability of those facilities to sell the products. In every corner of Connecticut, there has been news about the changing tide of recycling. “This year, Stamford paid $700,000 to a company to process its recycling materials, a remarkable change from last year when the city generated $95,000 in revenues from the same practice.” Another example is the Borough of Naugatuck. In the middle of last year, before the problem hit an apex, Naugatuck was being asked to pay $55 per ton by their former recycling provider after years of being paid $16 per ton. Mayor Hess told us that the borough struck a deal in which they agreed to pay $23 a ton to MIRA who already handled their trash removal. It’s a lesson in cost analysis: “The $23 is a bargain compared to the $70 a ton we are charged for non-recyclable waste removal.” Still, recycling needs to go somewhere, and that means landfills or barges. Selectman Knickerbocker was exasperated at the thought: “that’s no solution!” China’s policy aimed at cleaning up their pollution problem, has proven a headache for recyclers around the world, not just America. What’s concerning is that it risks sending the wrong message: recycling is bad. Recycling is still a necessity, but it just needs to get smarter.

out that many items once assumed to be recyclable are simply not feasible in this post-National Sword era. Things like shredded paper, prescription bottles, and even plastic plates cannot be recycled feasibly and end up clogging up the system. In Stamford, they issued a similar notice out to their residents of items that are no longer recyclable, which featured the line: “Because of a collapse in the market for reusable materials, these common items are no longer recyclable in Stamford and must be discarded in the trash.” Their notice included waxed paper, six-pack holders, synthetic tear resistant mailers, and many items that Stamford residents used to be able to throw into a single-stream recycling bin. Towns and cities across the state are attempting to mitigate this problem by eliminating the offending products or separating them from the recycling stream altogether. A simple google search will return a list of municipalities that are moving forward with plastic bag bans. The supermarket and drug store staples are one of the items that cannot be recycled when going to a facility like MIRA or HRRA. They clog up the sorters and are considered low quality. Norwalk, Stamford, New Haven, Hamden, Hartford are all considering bans, while Greenwich and Westport have bans in place. Barring any action at the state level, Selectman Knickerbocker told us that he is ready to vote on a local ban of plastic bags this year. He also says that “singlestream is no longer feasible,” and looked pointedly to glass as a big culprit. “Cardboard is no good if it’s contaminated with broken glass,” he said. It loses all value and goes right into landfills.

CT&C wrote about programs in cities like New Haven to get residents informed about what you can and cannot recycle. Many people will be surprised to find

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ENVIRONMENT The State Of Recycling Needs A Renewal

he HRRA is looking to divert glass out of a singlestream system. Heaton-Jones said that “glass has always been a problem, but when the markets were hot and profits were high, it was easy to ignore it. Now that the markets have washed away, it has exposed the glass issue.” Her recommendations are to incentivize residents to utilize the bottle deposit system, and further, to include all glass beverages, something Knickerbocker supports. “Bottle redemption glass is 100 percent recyclable, and we have a company here in Connecticut, Strategic Material who buys and processes bottle glass.” This brings us bake to Mayor Blake who wants to see turn recycling back into a positive. If the China market is never going to expand back to pre-National Sword levels, why not process those materials here? In our conversation, he said he’d “welcome and appreciate these new industries.” The National League of Cities (NLC) has written on this issue extensively, and one of its recommendations is to do exactly that. “Collaborate with your local economic development office to evaluate your current markets and identify new local and regional opportunities for unconventional or novel uses of your city’s recycling commodities.” They even suggest that tax breaks and recycled materials minimums in procurement might help foster the creation of new markets. One of NLC’s case study cities is Austin, Texas, which has led the way in this type of adaptability. They created the Materials Marketplace, which is an “online platform that connects local individuals with businesses to divert, reuse and/or repurpose materials that are

“It’s collapsing right before our very eyes.”

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difficult or impossible to recycle or compost.” Giving new meaning to the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” Austin has found a way to once again turn certain recyclables into a profitable market, while at the same time benefitting local businesses and creating jobs. With ingenuity like this, no one loses. The National Sword is just getting started. According to NLC’s reporting, additional restrictions will be rolled out continually through 2019 until 2020, when “China aims to halt all solid waste imports.” There’s some thought that other countries might pick up the market that China is abandoning, but in light of the Paris Accord, it’s hard to see the market returning to 2016 levels. The state of recycling needs a renewal itself. Towns and Cities cannot afford to have recyclables become a greater expense, one that matches solid landfill waste. There are ideas out there for municipalities to lessen the tipping fees for their towns; in one case that means banning certain items altogether, in another you remove an item like glass from the stream altogether. But this can also be seen as an opportunity. Americans produce more municipal waste than any other country in the world, according to the NLC. There should be a push to create local markets as they have in Austin. Connecticut is not about to stop recycling. We have too much invested in our natural beauty and resources, our rivers, lakes, and forests to let recyclables pile up in landfills taking up more and more of the finite resource of our great State’s land. Seeing that would be enough to make anyone cry.

ENVIRONMENT

Small Green Initiatives add up to Big Green Savings

things such as unsafe crossing areas for school children, ridges that might prevent wheelchairs from using the sidewalk, and bike lanes.

The Municipal Voice brought on Lynn Stoddard, the Executive Director of Sustainable CT and the director of the Institute of Sustainable Energy and First Selectman Mike Urgo of North Stonington to talk about the path to sustainability for set out by Sustainable CT.

“The walk audit gave us some data to look at,” Urgo said, “and say how are we doing?”

ustainability is not something that happens only on the federal level or on the personal level. On the municipal level, we have Sustainable CT, created in partnership with the Institute of Sustainable Energy and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM).

Members amount to 88 towns and cities, or over 50% of Connecticut’s municipalities. This program was created by municipalities and for municipalities to see a path towards sustainability, with, as Lynn Stoddard says, things that are under the control and influence of the town. Each municipality works towards certification by gaining points through actions. And while there are many obvious green initiatives, Stoddard, who was instrumental in creating this program, said “municipal leaders wanted it to be broad, you can’t be certified just because of energy efficiency.” One example is the equity actions, “required and foundational,” which has municipalities look at who is at the table and who is not at the table when making decision. This helps a town see the full breadth of who sustainability is helping and who it is not. In North Stonington, First Selectman Urgo said they had just completed a walk audit, which identified

This is especially true about the Greater Village Area, where many of the town buildings are located, where they were able to have a conversation with the community about what they need.

Naturally, there are traditional goals, such as solar. North Stonington has been working on putting solar on all municipal buildings, which First Selectman says they plan to have installed by the end of this year. The benefits are green and they are economic, but they also make a difference for all the residents of Connecticut. Both Stoddard and Urgo are optimistic, the First Selectman saying that the program “speaks to what our community is about.” For a program that counts over 50% of municipalities as members, the difference made is cumulative. “We can see the collective impact of the Sustainable CT municipalities,” Stoddard says, “you can really move the needle.” Actions in Sustainable CT are accomplished by Connecticut residents, in their municipalities, and those actions align with sustainable goals the state has set. “I hope we’ll see more and more towns [join],” the First Selectman said, “so we can make a difference in our state of Connecticut.” INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 33

ENVIRONMENT

Where Does It All Go?

Trash diversion looks for a smarter way

ne of the things that we don’t ever want to think about is trash. We all create it, and every week we put our bins out on the side of the street, but where it goes after that is out of sight, out of mind. That trash does go somewhere though, whether to a recycling plant or a dump, and it is starting to become a problem for the towns and cities of Connecticut. Landfills are filling up and there’s talk about beginning to utilize out of state locations, and recycling plants are inundated with materials that they just can’t handle. But some municipalities are looking at re-educating the public and alternatives for a greener future. New Haven is one such city that has put an emphasis on recycling. Not only are public trash cans popping up with recycling capabilities, but they’ve wanted to make sure that everyone knew what was appropriate to recycle and what wasn’t in their own homes. The first thing to know is what can go in: plastic bottles, containers, and one use cups can go in. So can food boxes, even pizza boxes if they are clean. Aluminum foil is in. Cans and bottles made from metals are also in. Glass jars can also be recycled. A good idea is to check for the recycle logo on all of your goods. But it’s really the things that can’t be recycled that are clogging up the system. Some things might surprise you. A tub of ice cream cannot be recycled. Paint cans are obviously a no go, but so are the lids of yogurt tubs. Tissue paper and paper cups cannot be recycled and many plastic items like prescription bottles, loose soda caps, and plastic utensils cannot be recycled. These items are shifted away from the recycling streams and then sent to the same landfills as the rest of the trash. This costs cities like New Haven money, because it is an added trip away from the recycler.

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That is why New Haven has spent the summer of 2018 stickering their blue recycling bins to let people know these rules. They may be tricky, sorting the ice cream cartons (bad) from the cereal boxes (good), but in the end, this is really for the environment. It will have you thinking about making responsible choices for the future. Other towns are dealing with trash streams that are simply becoming too much. Towns like West Hartford and New London have put on the table a “Pay-AsYou-Throw” option, where town residents will have to purchase specific trash bags. Despite receiving the acronym SMART, Save Money and Reduce Trash, plans like these have seen less than enthusiastic consent from townsfolk. Much of the problem stems from being forced to buy specific trash bags at set prices. But the savings add up for the city. According to a report in the Hartford Courant, a town like West Hartford would see savings of up to $560,000, and an additional $1.6 million in revenue from a SMART system. The numbers added up so well that a West Hartford panel suggested an 18-month review of the program, but there was so much negative feedback it didn’t get off the ground. By 2024, towns are going to need to divert 60 percent of their trash streams to reach a state goal. A Pay-AsYou-Throw program could divert up to 50 percent of a current trash stream, putting towns and cities within reach of that goal. Connecticut residents who went to Farm Aid in Hartford this past September heard from farmers around the state about composting, which is one of the best ways to divert trash. Whatever the solution, this is our only Earth, and sometimes you have to think about what you’re throwing out, even if you don’t want to.

ENVIRONMENT Protected against Future Flooding State funds project to rebuild tide gates in West Haven

hen it comes to potential flooding, West Haven residents who live upstream of Sea Bluff Beach and Bradley Point Park will soon have some peace of mind. The State Bond Commission approved $3.9 million in state funding for the new Cove River tide gate system. This project, part of the city’s Coastal Resiliency Plan, will protect the tidal wetland from flooding and causing any more damage to surrounding homes, businesses, and roads. State Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, announced the funding at Sea Bluff Beach alongside state Reps. Charles J. Ferraro, R-West Haven, and Michael A. DiMassa, D-West Haven, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, and Mark E. Paine Jr., assistant to acting Public Works Commissioner Lou Esposito. “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to secure these funds,” Borer said at the news conference. Replacing the failing, 45 year-old tide gate system has been a long-time goal for city officials. The gates are meant to regulate the tide where the Cove River flows into Long Island Sound. Without a functioning system, the surrounding infrastructure is left unprotected and upland property is at risk for flooding. One area of concern is West Haven High School because of its close proximity to the river. Its track and fields flooded in October 2012 after Superstorm Sandy overtook the tide gates. “Recent storms highlight the need for a reliable system to protect West Haven neighborhoods from property

damage and the potential loss of life. I applaud the Commission for approving this grant and I’m glad to be part of our legislative delegation’s efforts,” said Rep. DiMassa. Efforts to rehabilitate the Cove River salt marsh have been in effect for over six years. Led by Paine, the city has restored the natural salt grasses and eliminated most of the invasive species there. Shorebirds and waterfowl have even returned to the area since its restoration. Plans for the new tide gate system also include selfregulating tide gates so that the city can control the height of the tides – an aspect very important to the health of the marsh. A new concrete footbridge is also in the works to allow pedestrian access from Sea Bluff Beach to Bradley Point Park. The former bridge was built over a century ago and closed in the early 80s. “This area, with its rich history, should be preserved, and I am grateful the state prioritized our funding request to get this critical project off the ground,” Rep. Borer said. “Our shoreline is our greatest asset and pride and joy,” she said. “Proactively improving the functionality through self-regulated tide gates and replacing the pedestrian bridge, which has been closed for over 20 years, will generate countless safety, environmental and quality-of-life benefits.” The project took approximately eight months to complete.

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ENVIRONMENT I’ll Bleat You At The Cemetery Gates Using nature’s lawnmowers to keep weeds and brush in check

n 2015, Amazon announced plans to start letting customers rent goats to mow lawns and clear brush. Three years later, the idea has caught on as a quirky, cost-saving measure. In New Haven’s Edgewood Park goats are eating invasive species and poison ivy. In Pomfret the goats will have the distinct pleasure of dining with the dead: they’re being used to clear brush around delicate and centuries old gravestones at Dennis Cemetery. Though the centuries old cemetery only holds seven headstones, their advanced age makes taking care of the stones that much more difficult. Each individual in the plot was born in the 18th century, with a majority being born before the United States of America was even a country. First Selectwoman Maureen Nicholson commented in a piece from the Norwich Bulletin that “weed whackers can damage stones and herbicides aren’t the best way to deal with the issue,” and seeing a herd of goats a neighbor’s house “was a little like divine inspiration.” The only problem according to Nicholson is that “not every cemetery has a heard of goats nearby.” Per the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), “a general rule of thumb is that ten goats will clear an acre in about one month.”

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At the June 18 Board of Selectmen meeting the board unanimously approved the application for a grant from the Neglected Cemeteries Account in the amount of $2000. The money would go towards brush clearing and stone and wall repairs in cemeteries, of which there are about 10 that officials have struggled to maintain, per Nicholson. The grant is expended by the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) for neglected burial grounds and cemeteries, where there is more than six places of interment, there is no controlling association, and has become dilapidated or overgrown with brush, briars, or weeds. A goat could cost anywhere from from $25 for a kid or wether to upwards of $300 for a breeding doe. If Pomfret gets their $2000 grant, they could reasonably purchase between 7 and 80 goats, depending their choice of goat. UAPB says that a typical charge to rent goats is $1 per goat per day. This can lead to an overwhelming reduction in costs since goats don’t get paid overtime!

Not Coming, Here

ENVIRONMENT

Municipalities need creativity to fund climate change projects

limate change isn’t just coming, it’s here, and municipalities across the state will have to think about their future and current infrastructure projects if they want them to last. That was the lesson learned from Fuss & O’Neill experts who discussed climate change and infrastructure on The Municipal Voice. One of the biggest concerns from climate change is that the sea level will rise. Since records have been kept since 1900, the sea level has trended upwards, and projections show that there will be an additional 20 inch rise by 2050. That figure will rise to seven feet by 2100. But that doesn’t factor in changes to water in the atmosphere. “For every degree Celsius that temperature goes up, there’s two percent more water going into the atmosphere,” according to Dean Audet, who focuses mostly on water resources and management. “What that results in is a lot more water available for rain.” In the real world that means that what once was a 100 year storm in 1979 is a 60 year storm in 2007. This does not mean that these storms happen only once a century, but that the probability is one out of 100 or one out of 60. Storms will be bigger, high tides and waves will go further inland, and flooding will be a real concern. For Kevin Johnson, an expert on infrastructure, this makes it imperative for towns and cities to begin looking at these things now, and taking an inventory on all of a municipality’s assets and deciding which ones are vulnerable, “you don’t need to hire a planner or engineer to find out what you have.” Connecticut towns and cities need to get creative, a mantra signed off on by both guests. Suggestions ranged from bio-

swales, which Fuss & O’Neill designed for New Haven, to a project in Old Lyme which is using natural tide gates. Nature based projects are not only more cost-effective, but also can outlast concrete-based projects, citing the levees in New Orleans as an example. One issue Connecticut struggles with is funding. The delayed Town Aid Road grants to towns and cities have been delayed once again, preventing municipalities to make the crucial infrastructure repairs. Johnson said that keeping a road in a state of good repair is not only imperative but cost effective. Neighboring states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island have found ways to provide municipalities with funds for projects that directly deal with climate change. In lack of this state funding, they suggested looking elsewhere. “Talk to State Reps, or U.S. Reps,” Johnson said, “there are funding

sources out there, and it’s important with communities to find these grants beyond what engineers typically look for.” Rhode Island has a project in the works that will reclaim flood plains and create a park system that is being 100 percent funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, an agency not exactly known for creating parks. Take this as a lesson, they said: don’t just manage storm water, make a park. If you’re going to put in a bridge, make it higher and wider, and if you’re going to repair a road, build that up to prevent flooding in other areas. Climate change has already had an effect on our communities, and many have already taken action to plan for these inevitabilities, but some have not. “We’re trying to educate communities, and let them know it’s here,” Audet said. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 37

ENVIRONMENT Trash! Go Pick It Up!

There is no one size fits all to bulk waste pickup

s one CCM staff member put it, no one notices when a municipality’s bulk waste pickup is going well. Towns and cities across the state all manage their waste pickups differently, but providing for such services are necessary for residents. Farmington residents, for instance, can leave their bulk items curbside like regular trash provided that they have trash collection by Waste Material Trucking Company. According to their info page, different trucks will come by throughout the day to pick up tires, appliances and metal items, and mattresses/boxsprings.

mental or safety reasons, for instance motor vehicle batteries, propane tanks, hazardous waste, and paint. Electronics are also not permitted and are subject to e-waste rules and regulations. Other towns require a fee for the first or additional pickups and an appointment to pick up bulk waste. For instance, in the Town of East Hartford, residents are required to purchase a permit for two bulky waste pickups which costs $35 or $15 for seniors over the age of 65.

They have some general rules and guidelines for this bulk pickup. First and foremost, since the bulk pickup happens on the same day as regular trash, the pile must be four feet in distance away from your trashcans. Small items should be bundled, boxed, or bagged, and tires must be removed from their rims.

The Town of Hamden suggests considering what you call waste, as the old saying goes, one man’s trash, may be another man’s treasure. Some of these items may be donated to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army where the products can go to a good home. One added benefit is that these donations may be tax deductible.

Acceptable items include large furniture (i.e. Couches), appliances with doors removed, and plumbing fixtures. There are many items that are unacceptable in bulk trash as well, including items that belong in regular trash or recycling, and building materials such as lumber, brick, and plywood. Other items have environ-

Since every town is different, it makes sense to get the specific details concerning bulk waste to residents. Most people only think about bulk waste when they have a refrigerator or mattress they need to get rid of, or when they see one sitting on their neighbors curb for a month.

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Willie and the Farm Boys

FarmAid comes to Connecticut for the First Time

n the past Connecticut had more than one summer concert festival that was a major draw for those far and wide. Radio 104.1 held 104 Fest, highlighting alternative rock acts like Blink-182 and Green Day, while Gathering of the Vibes called Bridgeport home for nine years in a row, celebrating jam bands and embodying the spirit of the Grateful Dead. While both of those don’t seem to be returning for the foreseeable future, many Connecticut residents had FarmAid to go to in September 2018. For only the second time in 33 years of holding the event, the annual festival celebrating farmers across the country stopped in New England. (It stopped in Mansfield, Mass. in 2008.) The musicians Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews are the board of directors, and have headlined the event together for nearly 20 of those years. Performers included Tim Reynolds (who supports Dave Matthews), Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real, and Particle Kid.

Despite the small size of the state, there are 6,000 farms, including an additional 1,000 farms that opened between 2007 and 2016, per a Farm Aid release. But unfortunately, the income of these farms have dropped dramatically at the same time. These farms in total hire 21,000 people, making them an essential part of Connecticut’s economy, one that “provides environmental and social benefits that significantly enhance Connecticut residents’ quality of life.” One of the ways that the festival supports those important local farms is with the Homegrown Village, a place where “thousands of festivalgoers will explore interactive exhibits and activities that engage all of their senses.” American Farmland Trust, FoodShare, The CT Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, The CT Milk Promotion Board, CT Farm Bureau, UConn Extension, and the CT Valley Tobacco Museum have signed up to have exhibits, covering the history and business of farming in Connecticut. After selling out in four hours, and raising nearly $2 million, FarmAid brought thousands of people to Connecticut, showing them the vibrancy of our local culture. INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2020 | 39

Innovative Ideas for Environmental Management Best Practices

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Innovative Ideas for Environmental Management Best Practices

Innovative Ideas for Environmental Management Best Practices