New London should remain an "open" Port

Below are two links for two articles in today's NL DAY concerning the latest news on the controversy involving the proposed use of CT State Pier by just one industry, to the exclusion of all others.

The first is a column by David Collins which now points out that the State does NOT have proper authority to control the use of the Pier property without New London approval.

https://www.theday.com/article/20190815/NWS05/190819645

The second is an article by Julia Bergman which highlights the concerns with misuse of funds by the Port Authority Board, and the present audit procedure.Note that the Governor is still trying to push the wind-farm project through before that aspect gets audited.

https://www.theday.com/article/20190815/NWS01/190819655

While the operation of the New London Port may not affect some of us directly, in the long run it can affect most of us indirectly. Some of us knew Admiral Harold Shear after he retired from the Navy and will remember his efforts to expand New London's harbor facilities during the 1980's. One of the CT piers is named in his honor.

To take away all use of the entire CT pier area from the present and future commercial utilization of the existing facilities would be counter-productive to Shear's vision and totally unfair to those local businesses and consumers who benefit from the location. It would be better for the proposed offshore wind farm contractors to create a pier and work area elsewhere in New London, perhaps off the Fort area.

This is one of those times when public opinion needs to be expressed. In my own case, I have contacted my local reps, have written an OpEd in the DAY, have written this article with the appropriate links and have also complained by certified mail to the State Attorney General's office. But I am only one voice. I encourage you all to do the same. Thank you for your time.

Ed Johnson