Developer Withdraws Plainfield Trash-to-Energy Plant Petition From Connecticut Siting Council
Residents of eastern Connecticut opposed to a proposed trash-to-energy plant in Plainfield got a reprieve this week: the developer's petition was withdrawn on October 8, the Norwich Bulletin reported.
SMART Technologies, LLC had petitioned the Connecticut Siting Council for a declaratory ruling to build a 45-megawatt trash-to-energy electric generating facility east of Black Hill Road in Plainfield. The plant would have processed 9,000 tons of trash per week — about 468,000 tons a year — converting municipal solid waste into a low-emission gas to power a turbine generating electricity.
According to an October 9 letter from Siting Council Executive Director Melanie Bachman, SMART retains the ability to file a new petition for the project, so the withdrawal is not necessarily final.
Local leaders welcomed the news cautiously. State Rep. Anne Dauphanais said the withdrawal was welcome for Plainfield and surrounding communities but advised constituents "not mistake this withdrawal for a final victory," citing concerns about air quality, environmental impacts and public health. State Sen. Heather Somers, who also opposes the project, said local communities deserve a meaningful role in decisions affecting their health and environment.
The project faced sustained local opposition: Plainfield voters approved $250,000 in legal funding on September 3 to fight the plant, and the Siting Council had granted the town intervenor status with a public hearing scheduled for October 22.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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