Fair 052713

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY

BUSINESS JOURNAL YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR REGIONAL BUSINESS NEWS | westfaironline.com

FCBJ this week

May 27, 2013 | VOL. 49, No. 21

TRACKS PASSED MUSTER PRIOR TO CRASH officials: metro-north was in comPliance with rail insPection reGs

SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY plans to open a graduate studies center at the Landmark Square development in Stamford … 5

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

M

etro-North Railroad officials had inspected the tracks between Bridgeport and Fairfield just two days before a train derailed and collided with another May 17 and injured more than 70 passengers. Federal regulations require Metro-North to inspect its tracks at least twice a week, with the railroad appearing to be in compliance, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). At the time of the inspection, MetroNorth reported no defects in the section of tracks where the derailment occurred. A more sophisticated inspection, which looks for internal fractures using X-ray-like equipment, was also completed in April and found no defects. The train collision occurred about 6:10 p.m. in Fairfield, when one train heading

BRAD SCHELLER sits down with Austin McChord, CEO of Datto Inc., for a conversation about building and leading his highgrowth tech company … 8 THE HIRING ATMOSPHERE has improved, but not to the extent that experts had hoped to see for the class of 2013 … 15 B:HIVE BRIDGEPORT taps into a growing desire among startups and established companies to associate with open work settings … 15

MEDIA PARTNER

» Metro-North, page 6

Crews worked to repair the damaged tracks May 19. Photo by Patrick Cashin/Courtesy of Metro-North Railroad

Natural expansion

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utilities, Gas ProViDers PrePare for hiGher DemanD BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

CONNECTICUT GAS COMPANIES are gearing up for the state’s new comprehensive energy strategy, which includes a major increase in natural gas usage in place of petroleum-based sources. Within the next seven years, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has said he wants to see an additional 300,000 customers using natural gas, touting it as a cheaper, cleaner and more reliable source of fuel for heat, power and perhaps transportation. Now, utilities Yankee Gas and

Southern Connecticut Gas are in the process of filing plans with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for infrastructure changes that would be required before either could expand its natural gas customer base. Company representatives say they are excited by the opportunity to offer more customers gas, which is often a cheaper option. According to the state’s final energy strategy, published in February, about 217,000 customers already live on a gas main, but aren’t using natural gas to heat their homes. Although natural gas is typically 50 percent to 75 percent » Natural, page 6

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STAGING A REVIVAL

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