Water

Blumenthal appeals to environmentalists and other lovers of Long Island Sound

Sep 1st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Blumenthal appeals to environmentalists and other lovers of Long Island Sound

U.S. Senatorial Richard Blumenthal has released an ad in which he promises to hold big oil accountable if elected to the Senate, just as he fought Shell Oil and TransCanada Energy, who proposed building “Broadwater,” a huge liquefied natural gas storage facility in the middle of Long Island Sound, that Blumenthal opposed.



Seascape Initiative aims to turn the tide for the New York seas

Sep 1st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Seascape Initiative aims to turn the tide for the New York seas

Just off the New York coastline lives an undersea wilderness. Sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, whales, seals, skates, and rays swim below the many flying shorebirds and seafaring ships of the eastern Atlantic. In all, more than 300 fish species feed, breed, and migrate through the New York Bight, which stretches between Montauk in northern Long
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‘Tens of thousands of gallons’ of foam fouls West Haven river as Yale fire suppression system malfunctions

Sep 1st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
‘Tens of thousands of gallons’ of foam fouls West Haven river as Yale fire suppression system malfunctions

WEST HAVEN — “Tens of thousands of gallons” of a flame-suppressing chemical foam is believed to have spread from a broken pipe fitting at Yale University’s West Campus into the Oyster River, authorities said this morning. The foam is not harmful to people, officials said, but fish die off has been reported. via ‘Tens of
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DEP Issues Revised Permit for Management of Industrial Storm Water Runoff

Sep 1st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
DEP Issues Revised Permit for Management of Industrial Storm Water Runoff

The DEP has revised the requirements for management of storm water runoff from industrial sites under its General Permit program. The revised permit addresses EPA’s concerns and the growing awareness in Connecticut that contaminants in storm water runoff impact the quality of our lakes, rivers, and streams.



Dredging, plant removal recommended for town ponds

Aug 31st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Dredging, plant removal recommended for town ponds

The Goff Brook Ponds need work, and the town can now start moving towards renewal of the treasured ponds after Director of Public Works and Town Engineer Michael Turner put together and presented a report on the status of the ponds during the August 16 Town Council meeting. via Dredging, plant removal recommended for town
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State OKs Millstone permit; anti-nuke group pledges fight

Aug 31st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
State OKs Millstone permit; anti-nuke group pledges fight

DEP spells out requirements as coalition charges ‘collusion’ The state Department of Environmental Protection on Monday approved the renewal of a controversial water-discharge permit for the Millstone nuclear power complex in Waterford, but the Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone vowed to fight the move, saying it will assure the destruction of the Niantic River winter flounder.
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New microbe discovered eating oil spill in Gulf

Aug 31st, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
New microbe discovered eating oil spill in Gulf

WASHINGTON – A newly discovered type of oil-eating microbe is suddenly flourishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists discovered the new microbe while studying the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf following the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. And the microbe works without significantly depleting oxygen in
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DEP approves Millstone water permit

Aug 30th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
DEP approves Millstone water permit

The state Department of Environmental Protection has renewed the water discharge permit for the Millstone nuclear power complex in Waterford but is requiring the plant operator to take steps to protect aquatic life and to weigh alternatives to the site’s current water-cooling system.



CT Law Tribune Editorial: Buffer Madness

Aug 30th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
CT Law Tribune Editorial: Buffer Madness

For years, the Connecticut General Assembly has refereed a senseless annual brawl over wetland buffers. The homebuilders man the battle lines on one side and the Birkenstock-clad enviro-types gather up in a gaggle on the other. It is always an ugly confrontation. The issue is this: Should Connecticut mandate the protection of wetlands and watercourses
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New Haven houseboat for sale; it’s slow, but dreamy video – The New Haven Register

Aug 30th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
New Haven houseboat for sale; it’s slow, but dreamy video – The New Haven Register

Sal Schaivone put his quirky but charming houseboat up for sale recently on Craigslist.com. The listing has recently expired, but he periodically reposts it, casting his line out into a sea of buyers that, in the current economy, aren’t eager to bite.



A ride aboard the MARY E, a Connecticut River schooner

Aug 29th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
A ride aboard the MARY E, a Connecticut River schooner

A ride aboard the MARY E, a Maine-built schooner that still plies the waters of the Connecticut River in conjunction with the Connecticut River Museum, in Essex, CT



Disappearing Marshes Difficult to Remedy

Aug 28th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Disappearing Marshes Difficult to Remedy

Take your pick: Marshes are the “nurseries of life” or the “kidneys of the watershed,” said an expert on habitat restoration Thursday evening during a lecture titled “Long Island Sound: Restoring What Has Been Lost.” The impact of humans on the Sound has been significant, said Chris Cryder of Save The Sound, beginning with the
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DEP Proposes Final Stream Flow Regulations

Aug 28th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher

Revisions to original draft provide more flexible, workable, cost effective system The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has released final proposed stream flow regulations that respond to public comment on an initial draft by presenting a more flexible, cost effective and workable system for protecting the state’s rivers and streams. The Connecticut Department of
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Michael Deane: Young Scientists Making Every Drop Count

Aug 25th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher

But summer wasn’t a total wash for students interested in pursuing education and careers in the water industry. Across the country, students from grade school to incoming-college freshman participated in programs that immersed them in the biology, geology, hydrology and just plain interesting stuff that happens between a water reservoir and the kitchen faucet. •
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Open houses scheduled for Plymouth reservoir property

Aug 24th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Open houses scheduled for Plymouth reservoir property

PLYMOUTH — The Connecticut Water Co. is inviting the public to two open houses in September to view the North Street reservoir property that is up for sale. The town is interested in buying the 177-acre property, which includes a 39-acre reservoir. In May, the town applied for a $500,000 state grant to help with
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Deal reached on Croton watershed upgrades

Aug 24th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Deal reached on Croton watershed upgrades

A dozen communities in northern Westchester have worked out an agreement on how to spend $10 million to maintain the quality of drinking water in the region.The funding will pay for improvements to storm drains and catch basins that prevent pollutants from entering the Croton reservoir system, and it will create a system for mapping
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States Leading Fight to Solve Global Warming

Aug 24th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
States Leading Fight to Solve Global Warming

The United States, long considered a laggard in addressing global warming, is poised to achieve substantial reductions in global warming pollution thanks to clean energy policies adopted over the past decade by state governments, according to a new report by the Environment America Research & Policy Center. “While there’s no doubt that Congress must pass
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Pier, ramp and docks approved for Forestland Development in Groton

Aug 24th, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher

The Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) hereby gives notice it has made a tentative determination to approve an application submitted by Forestland Development, LLC (“the applicant”) pursuant to section 22a-361 of the Connecticut General Statutes for a permit to conduct work waterward of the high tide line in tidal, coastal or navigable waters of the
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Group Raising Funds For Field Upgrades

Aug 23rd, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher

MADISON, Conn. — Strong Field at the Surf Club in Madison could use an upgrade far beyond what the town can afford, but now a group of citizens has come forward with a multimillion-dollar plan and a way to raise the funds. Strong Field is in a unique spot. It’s situated on Long Island Sound,
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Lodgings target ‘green’ as the color of success

Aug 23rd, 2010 | By Christopher Zurcher
Lodgings target ‘green’ as the color of success

Green lodging. It’s a relatively new term, but expect it to become more common as travelers increasingly seek to stay in a place that practices environmentally responsible policies, from saving water to recycling. In Connecticut, there are already 15 accommodations that participate in the Connecticut Green Lodging program, and several of them are located in
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