Chemtura Sewage Pipe Gets Planning Approval

A national company that plans to re-staff one of its Naugatuck buildings with 70 new jobs got approval from the borough Planning Commission Monday to build a sewage pipeline on borough land.

The commission voted unanimously to positively refer the Chemtura Corporation's application for an easement to the Board of Mayor and Burgesses, which will have the final say on the issue. Chemtura wants to extend a 1,000-foot sewage pipeline from its Elm Street location to the borough's wastewater treatment plant, operated by Veolia, on Cherry Street. To do that it needs to build on borough-owned land.

The move is part of the company's larger plan to refurbish its 80,000-square-foot Naugatuck building so it can put its R&D and technology operations there. Company officials said Chemtura is spending $11 to $12 million to upgrade the building.

Chemtura's plan includes relocating the operations from its plant in Middlebury Currently staffed with fewer than 10 people, the Elm Street location in Naugatuck would be staffed with 70 people, company officials said.

The plan has already gotten approval from the borough's Water Pollution Control Authority.

While the easement is technically a land use issue the borough Board of Mayor and Burgesses has the final say on the matter, borough attorneys said.

"The town and Chemtura are both looking at this project as not only what they are trying to do now but what they are trying to do in the future," Attorney N. Warren "Pete" Hess, the borough's legal counsel, said during the 6 p.m. meeting.

The company's attorney, Holly Robinson, said she felt both Chemtura and the borough want the agreement in place. Borough Engineer Wayne Zirolli also said the file for the plan was suitable.

"It's an advantage to have a company come to Naugatuck, and bring jobs and be successful," Hess said, after board Chairman Anthony Whelan asked what advantage or disadvantages the project would have.

If the plan gets the board approval then Chemtura could begin construction and have people in the building by the second quarter of 2011, said Steve Kohlhase, company official.

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