Timeline of Events
Date |
Events |
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2/7/2010 |
Middletown Kleen Energy System Plant Explosion, Kills 6 Injures 20 |
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2/9/2010 |
6 residents received certified letters from DFE-ERG CT , LLC stating they are filing a petition to the CT Siting Council for approval of a power plant on the Corner of Huntington Tpke & Primrose Rd in Trumbull CT |
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2/12/2010 |
First Selectman has hand delivered letter to Chairman of the CT Siting Council requesting postponement of petition. |
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2/13/2010 |
Local residents held meeting 1 st meeting |
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2/13/2010 |
Local resident group met with TR Rowe and First Selectman, Tim Herbst |
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2/17/2010 |
First Selectman held informal Town Hall meeting: 170 residents in attendance. DFC-ERG CT agreed to hold expedited informal Town meeting to answer submitted resident/ Town questions. |
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2/18/2010 |
Trumbull 's legislative contingent won a hearing for a proposed bill giving the Siting Council greater power in denying fuel cell system placement |
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2/20/2010 |
Email Blast to inform residents to submit questions, they would like DFE-ERG to answer, to First Selectman's office by 2/ 26 . |
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3/11/2010 |
Thank you to everyone who turned out to our informational meeting tonight including our elected representatives First Selectman Herbst, Senator Musto, Representative Rowe, Town Council members Testani, Thorton and Deyoe. The citizens of Trumbull have shown overwhelming support for the opposition to the construction of this power plant and are encouraged by the over 30 towns in Connecticut that are represented in the petition. This demonstration of unity is one of the primary reasons for obtaining a meeting with Senator Dodd's staff and we are appreciative and welcome the opportunity to express our concerns about this proposal to the Senator. Over the coming weeks we will be hosting more informational talks and updating the community as things progress. Thanks again for all your support! |
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3/14/2010 |
There is a public hearing in Hartford this Thursday March 18th at 2pm regarding a bill drafted by Senator Musto, Rep. TR Rowe and Rep. Tony Hwang that grants additional powers to the Connecticut Siting Council to DENY power plants like the FuelCell Energy proposal for Trumbull. We need your help to send the message that we do not want power plants in residential neighborhoods! Download details of the proposed bill HERE! It is very important that we have a large number of residents show up at this hearing to show support for this bill. Just by showing up, we will make a powerful statement. There will be representatives of FuelCell Energy and their lobbyist present at this hearing. The impression that we make at the hearing in Hartford will make a difference in this fight! Download details about the hearing HERE! |
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| 3/19/2010 | Thank you to everyone who travelled to Hartford to support bill 461 which grants the Connecticut Siting Council the ability to deny power plant applications on grounds of public safety. Currently only adverse environmental impact can be considered and the addition of public safety as a grounds for denial would move us not only one step closer in stopping FuelCell Energy from building their power plant but also sending a clear message to any corporation considering a similar plan. A special thanks to our state legislators Senator Musto, Rep. TR Rowe and Rep. Tony Hwang for sponsoring the bill and Trumbull First Selectman Timothy Herbst, Fire Marshall Murphy, and Town Council members Thorton and Deyoe for supporting our community through their testimony at the hearing. We have a long way to go to stop FuelCell Energy from building its power plant but through the combined efforts of our elected officials and the continued community support we have all the tools necessary to be successful. Thanks again for all your support and stay tuned for more information about how to support our efforts! We have flyers available to distribute and need volunteers to gather signatures for the petition. Also, if you know of a group (PTA, church, etc.) that would like to host an informational meeting please contact us at info@notrumbullpowerplant.org Streaming video of the hearing can be found HERE. (Trumbull testimony starts at 2:51) Channel 8 coverage of the hearing can be found HERE. Connecticut Post article about the hearing can be found HERE. Trumbull Times coverage of the hearing can be found HERE. |
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Links to Submitted Written Testimony |
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| Representative T.R. Rowe | Jill Grossman | |
| Representative Tony Hwang | Keith Klain | |
| First Selectman Timothy Herbst | Robert & Sarah Lally | |
| Fire Marshalll Megan Murphy | Jennifer Shairer | |
| Anne Berte | Jeff Strouse | |
| Mike Giudice | ||
| 3/27/10 | POWER PLANT PUBLIC HEARING - APRIL 7th, 7:00 pm!! Madison Middle School A public hearing has been organized to give the citizens an opportunity to address FuelCell Energy and their plans to build a power plant less than 1000 feet from the nearest school, less than 500 feet from an historic district and less than 150 feet from the nearest homes. |
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| 4/1/10 | FuelCell Energy Postpones Trumbull Public Hearing FuelCell Energy has postponed their meeting to present details of its plans to build a natural gas power plant in a residential neighborhood with Trumbull Town officials and residents. In a letter to the Trumbull First Selectman, FuelCell Energy's Andrew Skok cited the need for more time to prepare to ensure they can address any questions the Town of Trumbull and its residents might have. |
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| 4/7/2010 | POWER PLANT TOWN FORUM As a result of FuelCell Energy postponing their meeting to present details of its plans to build a natural gas power plant in a residential neighborhood, Trumbull First Selectman, Timothy Herbst hosted a public forum on April 7, 2010, in order to brief the community on what is being done by the town. We would like to thank the First Selectman Herbst, Fire Marshal Murphy, Senator Musto, Representatives Rowe and Hwang, Trumbull Town Council member Mary Beth Thorton for their participation. Letters of support for the community by Senator Jonathan Harris, CT Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, and US Congressman Jim Himes were also read and then questions were taken from the audience. Thank you to everyone who turned out and we anticipate FuelCell Energy keeping its word to the residents of Trumbull that they will not file a petition to the Siting Council until they have had a formal public hearing. Trumbull town officials and the neighborhood steering committee will announce the new date of the public hearing with Fuel Cell Energy as soon as it is made known but the recent meeting will be aired on Channel 17. |
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| 4/29/10 | FUELCELL ENERGY IGNORES GOVERNMENT CONCERNSDespite every level of local, state, and federal government lining up against them, Danbury, Connecticut's FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL) will continue with their proposal to build a 3.4-megawatt natural gas fuel cell power plant in a residential neighborhood in Trumbull, CT. On the evening of the unanimous vote to pass CT HB 5213 which would allow greater scrutiny in approving such plants, representatives from FuelCell Energy informed state legislators they were proceeding to petition the Connecticut Siting Council for approval for the plants construction FuelCell Energy's attempt to exploit the loophole in Connecticut's Renewable Portfolio Standard (which incorrectly categorizes natural gas fuel cells as renewable energy) and construct the first DFC-ERG in the United States has been met with stiff opposition. Residents have made the case - and their elected officials agree that increased greenhouse gas emissions, high water usage, no public safety record, and its proposed location next to a high pressure natural gas line are inappropriate in close proximity to homes and schools. Simply put, every level of government believes that DFC-ERG power plants do not belong in residential neighborhoods. Donna Ferenz of FuelCell Energy investor relations claims the project is merely "replacing a boiler" but looking at the facts that FuelCell Energy's Andrew Skok has confirmed with the residents, there is little that remains to be argued in favor of the proposal. Although marketed as "green and clean" the power plant will have a footprint of over 6000 square feet - less than 150 feet from the nearest homes and EACH DAY the DFC-3000 will consume over 500k SCFM of natural gas, produce up to 65,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, and use up to 13,000 gallons of water. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has called the site location "inappropriate" and "troubling," voicing her opposition along with Trumbull residents, town officials, Connecticut Senators, Representatives, and the Connecticut Secretary of State while US Congressman Jim Himes has included national security as an additional reason the site should not be selected. Governor Rell has offered the Department of Economic and Community Development to FuelCell Energy's Frank Wolak, Andrew Skok, and lobbyist Dave Evans of Evans & Associates, but even the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Controls willingness to work with them to move the site has not made an impact. The Wall Street Journal recently described FuelCell Energy as "bleeding red ink" with losses of $93 million last year on sales of $100 million despite taking millions in taxpayer money, so fighting every town in the estimated 250 to 350 megawatt North American DFC-ERG market would represent an enormous public battle. Regardless of the jobs they are creating in Pohang, South Korea with their new partner POSCO Power, as a Connecticut State Senator recently said "At some point, the company is going to lose more than this site...they may well destroy their business model." The residents of Trumbull are being supported by over 40 towns in Connecticut and will continue to fight FuelCell Energy at every similar site by sharing their strategy and the facts that underpin their argument. If you would like more information regarding the community position, their strategy to fight FuelCell Energy, and how you can help please, do not hesitate to contact us. |
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