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The U.S. Army has identified a parcel of land on Boardman Lane in the Westfield section of Middletown as the site for its proposed training facility authorized by the federal Base Relocation and Closure Act. In a letter to Governor Rell, Secretary Bysiewicz and Congresswoman DeLauro wrote, “This parcel consists of, and is surrounded by, pristine farmland, homes and open spaces used by pedestrians, hikers and bikers. We strongly believe the Boardman Lane site is not an appropriate location for the U.S. Army Training facility, and this view is widely shared by local residents and Middletown city officials.” Bysiewicz and DeLauro were joined in their action by a broad, bipartisan coalition including Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano(R), State Senator Paul Doyle(D-Wethersfield), State Representatives Brendan Sharkey(D-Hamden), and Raymond Kalinowski(R-Durham) and numerous citizens of Middletown who have all voiced their strong opposition to the proposed site of the U.S. Army Training facility on Boardman Lane in the Westfield section of Middletown, which would destroy approximately 100 acres of pristine farmland, creating traffic and environmental problems for nearby residents. “We welcome the U.S. Army Training facility in Connecticut and the positive benefits it will bring to our community and economic growth,” said Bysiewicz, “however, as a matter of public policy, preservation of farmland and open space is in the best interests of all Connecticut’s citizens, especially when statistics have shown that our state is losing this valuable land faster that any other state in the country.” “The Army has a responsibility to resolve local concerns and respect residents’ rights,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “This Army Reserve facility is not a short-term venture and as such we must ensure that it does not negatively impact community neighborhoods and that it fits with the city’s development plans. We can have a successful partnership between the residents, the city, and the Army, but everyone must come to the table so that concerns and issues can be aired and addressed.” The federal Base Relocation and Closure Act of 2005 stated that a training facility shall be located in Middletown, CT if a suitable site can be found. Bysiewicz and DeLauro also wrote to Rell that “The plain language of the law does not appear to preclude the consideration of other sites outside of the city of Middletown, if no suitable sites can be found within the city. The City of Middletown has identified several brownfield sites that have been used for commercial purposes that might be more appropriate for the training facility. We also urge you to consider other sites outside of the City of Middletown that might be suitable.” The letter from Bysiewicz and DeLauro also asked that Governor Rell direct the Office of Responsible Growth and the Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development to conduct a comprehensive review of this proposed U.S. Army facility project. The review should include an assessment of the brownfield sites that have been proposed and, in accordance with Executive Order No. 15, allow the people of Middletown to exercise their home rule and local autonomy as full stakeholders in the selection of a site for a new U.S. Army training facility. © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Fairfield County artists win awards in prestigious art show - Sep 19, 2008 - 1:15 AM Bysiewicz dedicates 2008 ‘Blue Book’ to Connecticut women who have served in Congress - Sep 15, 2008 - 5:22 PM CPTV special underscores need for emergency services volunteers - Sep 9, 2008 - 11:18 AM Stamford Art Association Gallery opens a reception for national art competition - Sep 2, 2008 - 11:11 AM Governor Rell thanks army, corps of engineers for restarting Middletown site selection process - Aug 19, 2008 - 6:18 PM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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