Oxford Power Plant Continues to Draw Opposition

The cards may seemingly be stacked against them but a group of concerned residents from Oxford and beyond continue to vehemently oppose the construction of the CPV Towantic Power Plant.

On Thursday night, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection held a public hearing in Oxford concerning the power plant’s air quality permit.

Plant operators have already been given a tentative approval, but that didn’t stop more than two dozen residents to speak against the plant.

Speaker after speaker cited environmental concerns, Fox CT reports. CPV officials say the plant is designed to be on the one of the cleanest facilities around, Fox reported.

On the Stop Towantic Power Facebook page, Lauren Van Alstyne Blair wrote, “All the comments were from people opposing the plant. The auditorium was full at the start of the meeting! Great turn out!”

Elizabeth Leonetti Bell added, “If dissention from incredibly educated folks like an oncologist, an APRN who treats autism, and a cytokinologist don’t make DEEP start to think about their decision to allow this plant, I don’t know what will.”

Peter Bunzl wrote, “I made a statement at last nights meeting. But as far as I’m concerned this was just a dog and pony show .

DEEP going through the motions because they had to. At the very least much good testimony about pollution and its ill effects got into the record. Some of the speakers were brilliant. It’s frustrating for me to know that state agencies who are there to protect us and our environment don’t really seem to care about us.

CPV took their lumps from the audience. They sat there stoically listened to the speakers but knew in their hearts that DEEP was not going to deny their application. That doesn’t mean we stop trying. It just means opponents to this plant can’t rely on anyone or any agency to help them,” Bunzi wrote on the Facebook page.

Residents can still submit comments via email and traditional mail until September 24 before a final ruling has been made.

Last week more than 500 Oxford residents rejected a proposed revised tax agreement between the town and the operators of the CPV Towantic Power Plant.

If residents approved the tax deal with CPV Towantic it would have meant the town would have received $112 million in taxes over a 22-year-period of time instead of $53 million the plant owners had originally agreed to pay.

First Selectman George R. Temple told Fox CT after last weeks meeting that the no vote simply means less tax money for the town, while some residents are hoping the town can secure a higher tax payment, and many others hope the no vote will somehow lead to the plant not being constructed.

Photo via the Stop Towantic Facebook page.