Bob Crelin has been making people aware of the problem of light pollution in Connecticut for well over a decade. He has been an adviser to many communities looking to curb excess lighting. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 26, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_032606.asp
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Is Ron Armstrong a commissioner on the Metropolitan District Commission, or isn't he? The Hartford city council approved his appointment last month, and last week the commission swore him in. But on Monday, both the city and the MDC agreed that they had acted in error. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 10, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_031009_1.asp
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A recent presentation on plasma arc by one of the field's leading experts, Louis J. Circeo of Georgia Tech may offer a solution to Greater Hartford’s landfill problem. Plasma arc is an emerging technology that can zap garbage with so much heat that mountains of trash turn into piles of pebbles (and you can reuse the pebbles). There's no ash, no emission and no pollution. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 19, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Landfill/htfd_courant_031906.asp
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The dispute about minority hiring between Hartford's African-American Alliance and the Metropolitan District Commission, the quasi-governmental agency that's responsible for water and sewers in Hartford and eight surrounding communities is heating up. The MDC is under orders from both state and federal authorities to fix its leaky, antiquated sewer system that sends about a billion gallons of raw sewage into the Connecticut River every year. Preliminary engineering for the Clean Water Project launched in 2004 recently began. The question for the alliance and others is whether that work has already begun in earnest without the participation of Latino and African-American workers. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: December 18, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_121808.asp
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The levees and flood walls protecting Hartford and East Hartford from Connecticut River flooding are old and in need of repair. As in New Orleans, the levees in some places are being undermined by seepage. Although Hartford and East Hartford have undertaken levee repairs in recent years, there are still serious deficiencies that must be addressed. Engineers have laid out a project list that would cost about $100 million. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 21, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_062113.asp
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Combined sewer storm water overflow systems are in need of replacement. The Metropolitan District Commission, which operates the sewage treatment system in eight towns, including Hartford, has developed a proposal to address the issue. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 14, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_021405.asp
Related Link(s):
Metropolitan District, Hartford Connecticut; Long-Term CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Control Plan
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In this editorial, the Courant urges voters in the Metropolitan District Commission's member municipalities - Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Newington, Wethersfield, Windsor, Bloomfield and Rocky Hill - to vote yes on a proposed $800 million first-phase upgrade to the regional sewer system on the ballot Nov. 7. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 27, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_102706.asp
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Global warming is prompting a growing number of Connecticut churches and synagogues to go green, and to redefine what keeping the faith means. They are conducting energy audits of drafty sanctuaries, learning how to insulate stained glass windows and selling low wattage light bulbs instead of cookies at fundraisers. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 18, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/FamiliesandChildren/htfd_courant_021807.asp
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Tom Condon writes about an effort by United Technologies Corp. which will help revitalize Hartford’s North End neighborhood. The company is helping the neighborhood agency SAND Corp. build what are called "Net Zero Energy" homes — homes that will produce about as much energy as they use. They are starting with a pilot project of three homes on Earle Street, a comfortably nondescript, two-block street off Main Street. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 16, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_111608.asp
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A project is underway to plant native shrubs at Hartford parks as part of a new project to enhance bird habitat in Hartford, educate children and adults about the importance of bird habitat in cities, and to identify hazards to birds living in or passing through Hartford. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 02, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_courant_120212.asp
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A black advocacy group rallied outside the Metropolitan District Commission headquarters in Hartford recently denouncing what it said was the commission's opposition to legislation that would guarantee minority contractors got work on a $1.6 billion sewer-upgrade project. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 19, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_041907.asp
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Even though the owners of State House Square in Hartford replaced a dozen floodlights in the lobby with high-efficiency bulbs and fixtures, it seems as bright as ever when you walk into the building at night. But Harbor Group International, the building's owner since 2003, is seeing quite a difference. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 22, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_082206.asp
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Bulkeley High School is going green. And getting green, too. A group of students in an advanced placement environmental class has landed $20,000 from CL&P for winning the utility's Live Green-Win Green contest, which challenges students to relate what their school is doing to become eco-friendly and to propose changes that would save energy and help preserve the environment. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 27, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_022710.asp
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Mayor Eddie A. Perez wants Hartford to turn its recyclables into cash. Perez announced a pilot recycling program recently that allows city residents to earn cash coupons by recycling their household waste. The coupons would be redeemable at nearly 300 national chains — Staples, Dick's Sporting Goods and CVS Pharmacy, to name a few — as well as a developing list of local businesses. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 18, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_031808.asp
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There were more than 300 illegal dumping cases in Hartford in 2006, or nearly one each day, including 60 cases of asbestos dumping. About 100 of those were on city-owned or private property, and were handled by Hartford Zoning Inspector Courtney Dunstan. The rest were on state-owned or other public land and were handled by the Connecticut DEP. The dumped items include headless chickens, goats, dogs, asbestos, and mattresses. State and city health officers struggle to clean it up. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: March 22, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Neighborhoods/htfd_advocate_032207.asp
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The City of Hartford is testing the effectiveness of a community recycling program designed to help both the city and its residents save money. A year-long pilot program that began in May with RecycleBank, a four-year-old New York company, serves 4,500 Hartford residents. If it is deemed a success, it could be put in place throughout the city, potentially reducing the $2.4 million the city now spends on waste management. Published by The Hartford Business Journal
; Publication Date: November 10, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/hbj_111008.asp
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Bagpipers and a color guard will herald a ground-breaking recently for a permanent memorial, to be located near the Sailors and Soldiers Memorial in Bushnell Park, in honor of workers injured or killed on the job. Published by Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 27, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/cityline_042709_1.asp
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The fuel cell-powered bus that will soon prowl Hartford's downtown streets is quiet, efficient and replaces toxic clouds of exhaust with pure water vapor. But for now, it will be the only one of its kind in New England - mostly because it costs more than $2 million and its reliability is still being assessed. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 1, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Transportation/htfd_courant_090106.asp
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In this opinion piece, the author suggests that over the Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan, outlines the strategies to reduce emissions that can help us avert the most serious effects of climate change. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 07, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/smartgrowth/htfd_courant_110710.asp
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In riverfront ceremonies in Hartford, U. S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar designated the 410-mile-long Connecticut River as America's first National Blueway, saying restoration and preservation efforts on the river were a model for other American rivers. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 24, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_052412.asp
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Connecticut ranks 29th in the overall size of its clean or "green" economy, according to a Brookings Institution report released recently. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 13, 2011
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_071311.asp
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Electricity in Connecticut comes mostly from hulking power plants scattered around the state, but under official policy, that's supposed to change. Although monthly customer bills don't show it, 5 percent of electricity delivered by Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating this year must be generated from renewable sources such as wind, water or the sun. The requirement is set to go up every year until 2020, when it reaches 20 percent. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 07, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_040708.asp
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The state's major regional trash agency is girding for a fight to build an ash landfill in the plush, old woodlands of Franklin, but Connecticut's garbage woes go beyond fervent local opposition to another dump. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 23, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/landfill/htfd_courant_072309.asp
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After seven years of delays and a huge increase in price, ground was broken in Hartford recently on a public safety complex to house police, fire and other emergency personnel on property just north of downtown. The complex's estimated $77 million cost is nearly twice the $40 million voters approved in 2000. It will be built on a nearly 6-acre parcel at High and Atlantic streets. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 18, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Crime/htfd_courant_071807_a.asp
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According to Mary Rickel Pelletier,director of the Park River Watershed Revitalization Initiative, the ultimate goal of uncovering the Park River should start with the smaller goal of rehabilitating parts of the river that are already exposed to daylight. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 15, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_courant_101507.asp
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The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority is putting in a six-acre array of solar panels on a section of its Hartford landfill. The solar project coincides with the authority's plan to cap the remaining 35-acre section of the landfill. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 07, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/landfill/htfd_courant_060713.asp
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Connecticut trash authority officials are heralding a new generation of recycling. The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority recently approved spending $3 million to retrofit its regional recycling operation in Hartford to allow for "single-stream recycling deliveries." Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 07, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_070708.asp
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The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority is making plans for a new $6 million recycling center and will now be capable of recycling junk mail, catalogs and magazines. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 18, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/htfd_courant_081805.asp
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Hartford's Public Works Director has been fired, and two crucial federal deadlines for work on the city's flood-control system are looming. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 28, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_042809.asp
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North Meadows residents don't want to expand the landfill, which is the first thing travelers on I-91 see when entering Hartford. The mayor has yet to weigh in. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: May 13, 2004
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Link: http://hartfordadvocate.com/gbase/News/content.html?oid=oid:65288
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On Saturday, November 12, residents in 70 cities and towns in Connecticut will be able to dispose of their household electronics free of cost as part of an ongoing recycling program run by the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority in Hartford. The event will be held on America Recycles Day, a national event to encourage recycling. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 8, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_110805.asp
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A one-day effort was recently held to clean up the tons of garbage that gets dumped into the Connecticut River. Since 1997, the Connecticut River Watershed Council has led groups of volunteers on the annual Source to Sea Cleanup of the Connecticut River in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. With equipment ranging from boats and diving suits to simple trash bags and gloves, hundreds of volunteers comb the waters and shores of the river and its tributaries. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: October 02, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_100208.asp
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Admission to State Parks and Forests were free on May 22 and 23, 2010. Still, Hartford residents have many consistently free or low-cost recreation options that do not involve long drives. The Riverfront is one of them. Published by Real Hartford
; Publication Date: May 17, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/realhtfd_051710.asp
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Opponents are unlatching their holsters for a political shootout over legislation that could empower the Metropolitan District Commission to more than double the cost of the water it sells over the next decade. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 7, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_040707.asp
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The author of this opinion piece suggests that the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection should not locate ash dumps on Connecticut Rivers. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 24, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_052409.asp
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Mike McGarry's column for "The Hartford News" reviews a report from Councilman Bob Painter's office researching alternative solutions to Hartford's landfill issue.
Publication Date: May 19, 2004
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Link: /issues/documents/landfill/McGarry_column.asp
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun to clean up the former Philbrick-Booth Foundry facility on Homestead Avenue. The 1.2-acre site, bordered by commercial and industrial land, contains the abandoned foundry and several sheds. The state Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA have confirmed the presence of hazardous chemicals, including PCBs, asbestos and heavy metals, in the buildings and soil on the property. Published by Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 02, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/cityline_040209.asp
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted a total of $1 million to Hartford and East Hartford to clean up industrial pollution. The grants provide communities with funding necessary to "assess, clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment," the agency said in a statement. The EPA has awarded 54 grants to 32 different organizations across six New England states as part of a more than $62 million nationwide investment in brownfield cleanup. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 10, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_051013.asp
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A decade ago, history saved 410 Asylum Street from the wrecking ball. Now, low rents for downtown workers and an environmentally friendly design will put it back on the map. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 03, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/downtowndevelopment/htfd_courant_110308.asp
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The first bus in New England to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell made its debut recently in Hartford, quietly navigating downtown streets and emitting no harmful fumes. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 11, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Transportation/htfd_courant_041107.asp
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The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority Visitors Center & Trash Museum in Hartford opened its doors recently in honor of "America Recycles Day." There's plenty of garbage on display at the Trash Museum. A free-standing, walk-through sculpture called the "Temple of Trash" bears a thick skin of colorful refuse that once was the stuff of somebody's life - a fuzzy red die, wood tennis rackets, Cheerios boxes and Butterfinger wrappers, a bottle of Newman's Own Venetian Spaghetti Sauce and a bottle of Frank Sinatra's Milanese Sugo di Tavola. But the museum is less a forum for displaying artifacts than it is an elaborate learning laboratory where visitors, usually school children on field trips, can learn about the universe of trash and the ways people manage it - or should. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 12, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_111206.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant staff write that the tentative agreement between Mayor Eddie A. Perez and the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority over who will assume responsibility for the closing and monitoring of the hideous landfill in Hartford's North Meadows is welcome and significant. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 29, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_012907.asp
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Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently signed a bill requiring the coordinated development of a "green technology" curriculum by the state's public colleges, universities, community-technical colleges and vocational-technical high schools. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 09, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_060910.asp
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In this editorial, the Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that Gov. M. Jodi Rell's initiative to "green" the state Capitol is fine as far as it goes, but the growing energy and environmental challenges we face call for much stiffer tea. How about greening all state properties? How about stopping the relentless sprawl that is the state's most serious environmental problem? Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 08, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_090810.asp
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The state may be losing tens of thousands of jobs, but Gov. M. Jodi Rell is hoping to replace at least some of them, eventually, through a new initiative to train workers for "green collar" careers. Rell has ordered state agencies to start training workers for jobs that will protect the environment and natural resources and improve the state's economy. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 02, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/htfd_courant_030209.asp
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Although the city has some beautiful green spaces, there are plenty of places downtown and around the city where trees have been knocked down, removed or neglected to death. But, working with Hartford neighborhoods and community groups, the Knox Parks Foundation has planted 300 trees over the past three years. The project was funded with $55,000 in grants, but the money has run out. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 24, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_092406.asp
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The Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice wants Hartford city government to clean its floors and bathrooms with something green. The group has a "Green Cleaning Resolution" being considered for adoption by the Hartford city council. The resolution, if passed, would require the use of nontoxic products in the cleaning of municipal buildings in the city of Hartford. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 22, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/health/htfd_courant_112207.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant takes the position that the General Assembly took a step toward joining the national green-building movement when it set energy and environmental standards for state-funded building projects. But with today's soaring energy costs and mounting concern about the role of carbon emissions in global warming, lawmakers must go much further. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 10, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_121006.asp
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Hartford Audubon, one of the state's oldest conservation groups, was founded 100 years ago. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 24, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_092408.asp
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Residents of Homestead Avenue may soon witness an effort to clean up the area. Three properties, located at 111, 367 and 393 Homestead Ave., have been awarded a $500,000 Brownfield Grant for remediation. The property is currently owned by the city of Hartford, through the Hartford Redevelopment Agency. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 20, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/htfd_courant_062012.asp
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City officials estimate that the single-stream recycling program launched in Hartford last October will save the city about $100,000 in tipping fees when this fiscal year ends June 30, 2010. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 10, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051010.asp
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The city of Hartford recently launched its single-stream recycling program and started delivering blue, 64-gallon-recycling bins to 25,000 households. The program's goal is to reduce by half the amount of trash Hartford residents throw out each week. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 20, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_102009.asp
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At Downtown Yoga Studios on Pratt Street, pedal power is more than just spinning. Burning calories has generated electricity since 2011 at the studio's Cycled Energy classes thanks to mini-generators attached to its stationary bikes. The power generated is fed into the grid, lowering the studio's Connecticut Light & Power bills. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 05, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/health/htfd_courant_040513_1.asp
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Few people in the city know that red-tailed hawks are a year-round presence over Hartford city streets - and in sizable numbers. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 4, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Parks/htfd_courant_070407.asp
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The MDC is balancing the need to collect the water bill with the economic realities of Hartford. The Metropolitan District Commission, providers of sewer and water service to Hartford and seven surrounding towns, is owed $5.4 million by some 14,000 households in its service area, according to records provided to the Advocate by the MDC. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 14, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_advocate_041410.asp
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The Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice says Hartford has more than its share of unsavory facilities. The Coalition recently planned to stage a "die-in" in Constitution Plaza to "demonstrate the effect of a possible accident or fire involving the release of hazardous waste." They are concerned about the transfer planned for a site at 94 Murphy Road in Hartford, which would collect industrial waste like cleaning solvents and motor oil for transportation to disposal sites. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: October 16, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_101608.asp
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A new house is taking shape on Risley Street, thanks to volunteers for the nonprofit group Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity. The two-story duplex will use some of the latest energy-efficient technologies and construction techniques, as well as recycled building materials. When it is completed the house will sport solar panels, a 90-percent-efficient furnace, extra insulation and other energy-saving features. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 9, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/htfd_courant_050906.asp
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A Trashion Fashion Show recently presented fashion designs made from trash. Artists and designers presented their fashions in collaboration with The Green Action Team and Evergreen Design Co. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: April 18, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/htfd_news_041813.asp
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Hybrid-electric diesel buses, currently being test-driven by Connecticut Transit, outperform and are more environmentally friendly than diesel buses. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 28, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/transportation/htfd_courant_022805.asp
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The fabled underground canoe tours of the Park River remain on hold, but the man who led the tours is now suing the city. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: December 13, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_advocate_121307.asp
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Connecticut residents are taking global warming personally, suggests a new poll conducted for The Courant. By wide margins, residents said they favor three conservation measures that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions: getting rid of energy-wasting incandescent light bulbs, banning plastic grocery bags and paying a $5 recycling surcharge when they buy any computer or television. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 6, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_050607.asp
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The Metropolitan District Commission has until 2020 to stop the flow of a billion gallons of raw sewage annually into area rivers. It's going to cost more than a billion dollars to do it. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: December 27, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_122707.asp
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Mike McGarry comments on a recent discussion on the future of the North Meadows landfill, “Life After Landfill,” which was held recently at the Hartford Public Library. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: November 1 - 8, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Landfill/htfd_news_110106.asp
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Since opening in 1952, the focus has been on tutoring within the walls of Mary Hooker School that today houses a pre-kindergarten through grade 8 school. For nearly half a century, little attention has been paid to the condition the physical and mechanical systems at the school. That’s about to change. Hartford’s school system is preparing to make up for lost time and transform the vintage school building into a modern, green facility. Published by The Hartford Business Journal
; Publication Date: November 17, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/hbj_111708.asp
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One by one, cities and towns across Connecticut are buying into an energy program that its promoters promise will improve public health, free the nation from its addiction to foreign oil and combat global warming all at the same time. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 4, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_050407.asp
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It's a giant, mechanized worm. Its job: To dig a 3,700-foot-long tunnel from Walnut Street to Bushnell Park, slowly boring an underground passageway so that, when the massive MDC project is complete, heavy rains won't cause regular sewer overflows into area basements and waterways. The Metropolitan District Commission recently lowered into the ground a laser-guided micro-tunneling machine on Walnut Street. As it bores, the machine leaves a 6-foot tunnel of precast concrete behind it, through which the wastewater from Albany Avenue will eventually flow. It's the most visible of the first steps in the commission's 15-year, $2 billion project to separate sewage from storm water in metro Hartford and reduce the frequency of sewer overflows from once a week to once a year. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 31, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_083109.asp
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Standing on top of the levee in the North Meadows neighborhood, Mayor Eddie A. Perez called for the State Bond Commission, chaired by Governor Rell, to appropriate $12 million in funding that has already been approved by the State Legislature to make further repairs and upgrades to Hartford’s Flood Control System. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: September 04, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_news_090408.asp
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The largest public works project in Hartford history started recently, a massive effort to redo part of the city's century-old plumbing and curtail the millions of gallons of sewage and storm water that overflow into the basements, streets and streams of the North End after heavy rain. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 02, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/htfd_courant_060209.asp
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The burden of paying for a $1.6 billion Metropolitan District Commission sewer upgrade project could end up flooding local property tax bills, unless legislation that failed to pass in the General Assembly's regular session is revived in a special session. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 8, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_060807.asp
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When it comes to the $1.6 billion the Metropolitan District Commission will spend to repair the sewers in greater Hartford, State Sen. Eric D. Coleman and state Rep. Art Feltman want to make sure minority workers get their fair share of the work. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 5, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Employment/htfd_courant_040507.asp
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This Courant editorial supports the MDC proposal to replace its wastewater treatment plant and the Mid-Connecticut waste-to-energy plant with state-of-the-art clean technology energy production facility, creating a modern co-generation campus. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 23, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/htfd_courant_042306.asp
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Property owners in the eight municipalities served by the Metropolitan District Commission could see the cost for sewer use more than double in five years under a $671 million plan that would reduce combined sewage overflow that backs up into homes in Hartford and into the Connecticut River and the Wethersfield Cove. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 8, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_080805.asp
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A proposed $115 million budget that would require a slight increase in water rates and sewer use fees in Hartford and six neighboring towns was the subject of a public hearing on Monday, November 16, 2009. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 14, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_courant_111409.asp
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Hartford's outdated sewer pipes, overburdened with sewage and rainwater, annually leak about 1 billion gallons of untreated sewage - equivalent to about 33,000 backyard swimming pools - into local waterways such as the Connecticut River and Wethersfield Cove. Under state and federal mandate to reduce that leakage, MDC is gearing up for a multimillion dollar capital improvement plan that could double or triple its debt service in the next 10 to 20 years, officials say. It's too soon to determine how much of the cost will be passed on to MDC customers. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 22, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_022205.asp
Related Link(s):
Metropolitan District (MDC) Long-Term CSO Control Plan
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Ancient Sewers Need Upgrade
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The presence of a Hartford businessman during crucial negotiations over a massive $1.6 billion regional sewer project was a major point of contention - and might have been a key factor in the talks' collapse. The talks - between officials from the Metropolitan District Commission, the region's sewer authority, and Hartford legislators - revolved around how much of the work would go to minority contractors. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 6, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Employment/htfd_courant_080607.asp
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Voters in the eight municipalities served by the Metropolitan District Commission were asked on Election Day 2012 whether to allow the MDC to finance through bonding the $800 million second phase of the 15-year Clean Water Project. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 24, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_102412.asp
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Metropolitan District Commission customers may want to be on the alert for leaky faucets and running toilets, because the cost of water is going up and will continue to rise for several years. Beginning last month, most water bills sent to customers in the eight Metropolitan District Commission towns have carried a surcharge to pay for the bonds issued in a $2 billion planned upgrade of the region's sewers and sewage treatment facilities. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 11, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_021108.asp
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Eleven years after the deadline to recycle 40 percent of their waste, hardly any towns have reached that goal. In 2009, eight of the state's 169 towns reached or surpassed 40 percent, according to state Department of Environmental Protection. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: March 15, 2011
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_031511.asp
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After several months of lectures, classes and discussions about everything from the Connecticut River to making the right choices in life, 40 seventh- and eighth-graders involved in Riverfront Recapture's new river steward program did what you would expect. They went fishing. The students from Breakthrough Magnet School also took part in team-building and problem-solving activities, played soccer and football and ate pizza to celebrate their participation in "A Reel Chance." Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 7, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Education/htfd_courant_060707_a.asp
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A proposal for a new waste transfer facility on Murphy Road is facing opposition from the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and from some on the city council. The city council doesn't technically have a say in matters like these, but that doesn't mean it can't try for a voice. So Councilman Luis Cotto is pushing a resolution in opposition to the facility proposed by Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC and hopes the planning and zoning commission listens. Published by Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 13, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/cityline_041309.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant supports a plan by the Metropolitan District Commission to restore some of the ambience of the Park River where it used to run through Bushnell Park. The proposal is for a three-pond water feature along the historic path of the Park River. Ingeniously, it would be a functional part of the ongoing MDC project to separate sewer pipes from storm drains downtown. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 21, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_courant_102107.asp
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The Green Parking Council. a nonprofit supported by the country's major parking companies, is based in New Haven. It's mission is to green the parking business, to bring the industry to "environmental, technological and economic sustainability. The council is doing some good stuff to reduce energy use, save space, and generally raise consciousness about the environment. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 17, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_071713.asp
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Possibly surprising to some, the Sierra Club has now taken on tax reform. It is at heart a critical environmental issue, one of the most important on Sierra's agenda. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 22, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_042207.asp
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The Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice is hoping a protest will light a fire under residents and officials to prompt them to oppose a hazardous waste transfer facility in Hartford's South Meadows. Heritage-Crystal Clean of Illinois wants to operate a warehouse at 94 Murphy Road in Hartford to store hazardous waste such as used motor oil and solvent cleaners collected from around the Hartford area. Organizers say that's one dangerous and polluting facility too many in Hartford. The city already is home to a sewage treatment plant, a sewage sludge incinerator, a garbage-fueled power plant, two recycling centers and two landfills. Coalition members say these put an unfair health burden on city residents from air pollution, noise and traffic Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 10, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_101008.asp
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Hartford Marathon organizers have been working several years to make the event green. A major change came last year when engineers at United Technologies Corp. donated their expertise to design and build a massive, portable bubbler system with water tank at which 40 runners at a time can get a drink. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 06, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_courant_090608.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant staff express the opinion that recycling isn't just good environmentalism. Reducing waste that would otherwise have to be sorted, sifted and incinerated at the state's waste-to-energy facilities or else shipped to out-of-state landfills is good economics, too. By expanding the bottle bill to noncarbonated beverages, the General Assembly would be taking a relatively simple, effective and quick step to reduce waste and litter. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 8, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_010807.asp
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With recycling as a way of life and an industry, a new report from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center says it’s responsible for creating 4,790 jobs and $738 million in annual value in Connecticut — directly and indirectly. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 29, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_112912.asp
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Connecticut will have to almost double its recycling rate - from 30 percent to 58 percent - just to keep up with increasing amounts of waste and changing lifestyles over the next 20 years. That ambitious goal is the cornerstone of a new Solid Waste Management Plan released recently by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The plan - the first significant amendment to the state's basic waste management plan in 15 years - is the result of a year of study by state environmental officials after lengthy consultations with consumer groups, town governments and industry groups. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 29, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Landfill/htfd_courant_122906.asp
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The City of Hartford is introducing “Go Green – Use Blue,” a new recycling program that will allow selected city households to collect up to $400 in coupons at various local stores based on the amount of items they recycle. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: March 20, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/htfd_news_032008_1.asp
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You might have noticed the ugly orange plastic wrapped around the State Capitol for the past few months. Those who use the State Capitol grounds as part of their morning commute have found sidewalks suddenly blocked. Turns out, this inconvenience is actually not a business-as-usual bout of repairs. The state is installing pervious paving in walkways and parking areas which is intended to reduce storm water runoff and filter pollutants for biodegradation.. Published by Real Hartford
; Publication Date: November 25, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/realhtfd_112510.asp
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New England could slash its energy consumption by 18 percent just by using currently available technologies, according to a new report by a coalition of environmental groups. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 26, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_062607.asp
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When it comes to energy efficiency, Connecticut's public school buildings aren't even close to making the grade - a failure with powerful implications for the state's energy supplies, economic development, taxpayers' wallets, even air quality. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 24, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Education/htfd_courant_082406_a.asp
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There are key votes to be made in the November election, including the race for U.S. Senate in which Joseph Lieberman faces off with Ned Lamont, and funding for a massive sewer upgrade project by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: November 1 - 8, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Democracy/htfd_news_110106.asp
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Despite years of repeated problems, however, the Metropolitan District Commission's $800 million plan to overhaul the Hartford region's sewer system is still in the planning stages. The so-called Clean Water Project is not scheduled to get off the ground until 2009. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 13, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_courant_101307.asp
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Helen Ubińas writes about people who experienced the problems resulting from sewer backups in their basements. The MDC is planning to ask voters in the member towns to approve a project to upgrade the sewers to prevent such backups. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 22, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_102206.asp
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State lawmakers recently declined to act on a bill to move forward funding to upgrade the Metropolitan District Commission's faulty sewer system. And although it was an unrelated issue, legislation to give Hartford small-business owners relief from property tax increases found its fate linked to the MDC bill as part of late-night political theater. As a result, it, too, died. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 7, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Taxes/htfd_courant_060707.asp
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Voters in the eight municipalities serviced by the Metropolitan District Commission deserve a lot of credit for approving the first half of a estimated $1.6 billion upgrade to the regional sewer system. Conventional wisdom would argue against supporting a project whose cost to individual customers has yet to be determined, and whose presence will not be visibly apparent after 17 years of bothersome construction. Yet, by a 2-to-1 margin, voters recognized that there is no alternative. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 13, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_111306.asp
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Tom Condon writes that conventional real estate lenders won't finance a commercial building that is bold, innovative and built to last 100 years. The real estate lending market has calcified into a hidebound, risk-averse, rigid institution that lends money to build only certain kinds of real estate "products," nearly all of which promote sprawl. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 10, 2011
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Link: /issues/documents/homeownership/htfd_courant_071011.asp
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SolarCity, a California-based solar panel company, is establishing a Hartford office, its first Connecticut location. The company, which develops and installs solar panels, bills itself as a one-stop-shop for a range of clean energy services, including energy efficiency evaluations. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 07, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/htfd_courant_020712.asp
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A handful of the Elmwood residents whose basements were filled with sewage-tainted wastewater during heavy storms in October 2005 say they will refuse settlement offers the region's sewer authority sent them in letters this week. The 13 offers, which the commission's assistant district council would not disclose, vary among the homeowners, some of whom reported that wastewater shot up from sink drains and toilets in such volume that it crept up basement steps leading to their living rooms. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 18, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Region/htfd_courant_081806.asp
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Recycling could get a boost if the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection proposes an aggressive long-term strategy aimed at bringing our recycling rate to 49 percent by 2024. The plan would increase enforcement, create incentives such as pay-as-you-throw increase the bottle deposit, and require more items, such as restaurant food scraps, to be recycled or composted. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 1, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_090106.asp
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While energy prices in Connecticut are some of the highest in the country, the state's public schools are some of the nation's least energy-efficient, according to a new study. The added expenses for heat and electricity costs taxpayers between $46 million and $69 million a year, said the study, released recently by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 11, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Region/htfd_courant_081106.asp
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Hartford's most significant quality-of-life improvement in the past three decades is its reconnection with the Connecticut River. Youngsters and adults row, fish, bike, jog, cruise, listen to music and otherwise enjoy this great natural asset. They can do this thanks to a remarkable nonprofit, Riverfront Recapture. It celebrates two anniversaries worth noting this year; the 30th for the organization and the 25th for Executive Director Joe Marfuggi. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 28, 2011
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Link: /issues/documents/downtowndevelopment/htfd_courant_052811.asp
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Just beyond the doors of the Hartford Advocate office exists a Twilight Zone of trash. Hereabouts one finds arguably the largest thicket of litter and illegally dumped trash in the city. This coral reef of blight is unbroken for blocks, a monument to human sloth. Bringing it to the city’s attention sometimes results in a visit by a Public Works crew, but the cleared area is filled by the following week by more of the same. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: May 04, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_050410.asp
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A local couple is doing their part to transform Hartford into a magnet for treehuggers and granola eaters. Imani and John Zito have created an oasis of green businesses on New Britain Avenue across from Trinity College. Think of it as an urban homestead, where their six home-schooled children play and study and circulate freely among the back rooms and floor spaces of the new Growing Green Co-op, the Green Vibration Eco Boutique and the Alchemy Juice Bar Café, where you can stop in for an organic smoothie or a portabella burger. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: November 06, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/htfd_advocate_110608.asp
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The next time you stop to smell the flowers in Hartford, thank Knox Parks and their host of volunteers for planting them. For over 40 years, this lone champion of Hartford’s environment has been transforming the city’s landscape one abandoned lot, city block, and neighborhood at a time. Whether through the 12 community gardens they organize, the hundreds of Hartford Blooms Pots they decorate the city with, or the many tree planting initiatives they plan with Hartford neighborhood groups, the Knox Parks Foundation strives to make your city beautiful. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: February 18, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_news_021810.asp
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Abul Islam, the relentlessly optimistic Pakistani immigrant who built a thriving civil engineering firm in Middletown and now wants to build a 12-story tower in downtown Hartford, has run into yet another challenge to the LEED-certified “technical center” he believes will lead the city into an era of “green” growth. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 14, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_advocate_041410.asp
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The Mary Hooker Environmental Sciences Magnet School is one of three Connecticut schools named U.S. Green Ribbon Schools for their focus on energy conservation, sustainability and stewardship. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 22, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_042213.asp
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Just having taken a trip around Hartford's dike system, Mike McGarry is alarmed at the direction that the city’s efforts to hold back the Connecticut river have taken. Published by The Hartford News
; Publication Date: October 10, 2013
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_101013.asp
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Dozens of contracts between individual towns and the state's regional trash giant are expiring in the next two years, and a group representing a swath of communities from Hartford to the Litchfield Hills will take the first step next week to form its own solid-waste authority. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 15, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_111509.asp
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A spokesman for Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, the quasi-public agency that controls the fate of much of Connecticut’s waste products, seemed puzzled at the response to the proposed change to Hartford recycling facilities. Currently, CRRA owns two recycling centers in the south of Hartford. They have applied for a license from the state Department of Environmental Protection to merge the two facilities, which would increase the amount of materials they are able to recycle, and reportedly increase the overall daily recycling capacity. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 11, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Landfill/htfd_advocate_011107.asp
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Though recognizable as individuals and isolated from wilder natural settings, the trees that we encounter every day collectively constitute an urban or community forest with its own ecology and environmental and social benefits. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 11, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/parks/htfd_courant_061106.asp
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Twelve-year-old Chanelle Adams traveled to Aichi, Japan, to attend an environmental summit last summer. What struck the eighth-grader the most was the enthusiasm people in Japan share about protecting the environment. When she returned home, Chanelle came up with her own environmental protection plans. She decided to clean up the neighborhood around her school located on Blue Hills Avenue. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 17, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_111705.asp
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Connecticut will expand its energy efficiency programs to small, urban, and minority-owned business through a new aggressive government office. Published by The Hartford Business Journal
; Publication Date: October 22, 2012
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Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/hbj_102212_1.asp
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A preliminary federal report on Connecticut Transit’s $2.4 million prototype fuel cell hybrid bus found the bus’ first 15 months of operation were marked by limited availability because of maintenance issues. However, the transportation agency and UTC Power said they are pleased with the progress of improving the region’s first fuel cell bus. Published by The Hartford Business Journal
; Publication Date: November 20, 2008
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/hbj_112008.asp
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The Knox Parks Foundation and other groups revealed plans on June 1st to renovate the lot at the intersection of Broad Street and Farmington Avenue. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 2, 2005
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_060205.asp
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Voters living in the regional sewer authority's eight member towns are being asked to decide the fate of a $1.6 billion sewer upgrade project to fix what agency officials describe as a "massive" environmental and public health crisis. But voters in Hartford, West Hartford, East Hartford, Newington, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Windsor and Bloomfield are going to have to decide whether to say "yes" or "no" without knowing exactly how much of the total bill is going to come out of their pockets. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 21, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Environment/htfd_courant_102106.asp
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Add State Rep. Kelvin Roldan and state Sen. John Fonfara to the list of folks who don't want a new waste transfer station at Murphy Road in Hartford. Published by Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 21, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/neighborhoods/cityline_042109.asp
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The Watkinson School's new "smart building" is not only a place to learn, it is also a teaching tool. The structure and its abundant green features have been woven into the science curriculum. The Center for Science and Global Citizenship, which opened on the school's Bloomfield Avenue campus in January 2010, is a modular or prefabricated building, but it is worlds away from the modular classrooms of decades past . Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 30, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_053010_3.asp
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According to a report by the Metropolitan District Commission, the non-profit agency that regulates the sewage and drinking water of eight area towns, the Hartford-area system is antiquated and overtaxed. About 50 times a year, during heavy rains, many of the cracked and broken pipes and sewers overflow, forcing sewage to the streets of Wethersfield, Rocky Hill and Hartford. The solution is the Clean Water Project, designed to update and improve the sewer system. Even the measure’s critics say the Clean Water Project is a timely and necessary idea. What’s not as agreed upon is how the eight MDC member cities — Rocky Hill, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor — are splitting its cost. Published by The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: November 23, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/Region/htfd_advocate_112306.asp
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Mary Rickel Pelletier expresses the opinion that as Hartford's mayoral campaign moves into its last days, one key issue has been missing. Where is the green agenda? Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 28, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_102807.asp
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With the Hartford skyline already swarming with construction cranes, word comes that Prudential Retirement may build a new building in the city. That's good news for those trying to re-establish the city's pre-eminence in insurance and financial services. It could also be good news on the environmental front. If Prudential chooses to build in Hartford, the company should be strongly encouraged to build a sustainable "green" structure. Published by The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 9, 2006
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Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_040906.asp
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