BranfordPipeline.com - How You Can Help

How You Have Helped!

On May 6th, 2004 the U.S. Department of Commerce approved the Islander East pipeline proposal that was twice rejected by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. A statement from the U.S. Department of Commerce said they "concluded that the impact to shellfish habitat will be temporary in nature and limited in scope". The Commerce Department also rejected the idea that Islander East should tap into the existing Iroquois pipeline that goes from Milford to Long Island. Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal disagreed with the Commerce Department and stated "The project will do catastrophic, irreparable damage to the Long Island Sound seabed and Thimble Islands...". He continued by calling the decision "yet another craven Bush administration giveaway to Big Energy." as recorded in the May 7th, New Haven Register.

At BranfordPipeline.com we are pleased with the U.S. Department of Commerce ruling in favor of the Islander East pipeline proposal. In 2003 Islander East listened carefully to their critics and substantially modified their original proposal to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Their revamped pipeline proposal drastically reduced the environmental impact on the Branford shoreline and Long Island Sound. After a thorough public hearing and a comlete review of the facts the U.S. Department of Commerce agreed that the current proposal will have a minimal and short lived impact on our shoreline and Long Island Sound.

We believe the Islander East pipeline proposal holds many promises for our neighbors to the south, the people of Connecticut and residents of Branford. Eastern Long Island residents could enjoy substantial savings on their energy bills. Connecticut residents could breath more easily because our air will be cleaner. Our town could benefit by expanding our open space and developing a four mile long nature trail along the pipeline route. Now is the time for community and government leaders to work together so all of us may enjoy the benefits the Islander East pipeline has to offer.

Islander East still needs to get a Section 401 Water Quality permit from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Their recent request was denied. Islander East contested that denial by requesting a "Declaratory Ruling" from the DEP commissioner, Art Rocque, Jr. You may help the Islander East pipeline proposal move forward by sending a letter of support to:

You may view or copy a sample letter in a MS Word format by clicking on the underlined text.

CT Department of Environmental Protection
Office of Adjudications
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT
06106
A ruling is expected by July 15th, 2004 so send your letters soon!

Write a short letter to the editor of the Branford Review, New Haven Register or The Sound and share your thoughts with a wider audience. Be sure to include your full name, address and phone number. Limit your letter to 400 words. If emailing your letter, do NOT include it as an attachment. Put it in the body of your email.
Contact the Branford Review at: 230 East Main Street P O Box 829 Branford, CT 06405 Phone: (203) 488-2535 Fax: (203) 481-4125 Email: branfordreview@ctcentral.com	Contact the New Haven Register at: 40 Sargent Drive New Haven, CT 06511 Fax: (203) 865-7894 Email: letters@nhregister.com
Contact The Sound at: P O Box 1010 Madison, CT 06443 Phone: (203) 245-1877 Fax: (203) 245-9773 Email: news@shorepublishing.com	Contact the Branford Land Trust and let them know that you support a linear park for Branford. Call them at (203) 483-5263. Write to them at: Branford Land Trust P O Box 254 Branford, CT 06405 Email : info@branfordlandtrust.org

Contact your local Representative to the Connecticut General Assembly and let them know your thoughts on the pipeline proposal.

Contact State Representative Peter J. Panaroni, Jr. who serves Branford's 102nd Assembly District at:
25 Frank Street, Branford, CT 06405.
His local phone number is: (203) 481-8342.
You may also contact him at the Capitol:
Legislative Office Building, Room 2304, Hartford, CT 06106-1591.
Call him in Hartford at (860) 240-8585 or toll free at 1-800-842-8267.
Visit his home page at: http://www.cga.state.ct.us/hdo/HDO102.asp
Contact State Representative Patricia M. Widlitz who serves the 98th Assembly District in Branford & Guilford at:
12 Island Bay Circle in Guilford, CT 06437.
Her local phone number is: (203) 453-9924.
You may also contact her at the Capitol:
Legislative Office Building, Room 3201, Hartford, CT 06106.
Call her toll free at 1-800-842-8267.
Visit her home page at: http://www.cga.state.ct.us/hdo/HDO098.asp
Contact State Representative Robert M. Ward, House Minority Leader, who serves North Branford, East Haven and Wallingford at:
817 Totoket Road, Northford 06472.
His local phone number is: (203) 484-0339.
Call him toll free at 1-800-842-1423.
Visit Representative Robert M. Ward's home page at: www.housegop.state.ct.us/pages/Ward.htm

Contact Governer John G. Rowland, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Art Rocque, Jr.and State Senator William Aniskovich. Let them know your thoughts on the pipeline proposal.

Contact Governer John G. Rowland at:
Governor's Office, State Capitol, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106.
His phone number is: (860) 566-4840.
Contact DEP Commissioner Art Rocque, Jr. at:
His phone number is: (860) 424-3001.
You may email DEP Commissioner Art Rocque, Jr. by clicking on the underlined text: dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us
Visit the Connecticut DEP home page at: www.dep.state.ct.us/
Contact State Senator William Aniskovich who serves Connecticut's 12th District at:
15 Grove Avenue, Branford CT., 06405.
His local phone number is: (203) 483-9280. His work phone number is (860) 240-0596.
You may email State Senator William Aniskovich by clicking on the underlined text: senator@aniskovich.com
Visit State Senator William Aniskovich's home page at: www.senatereps.state.ct.us/senainfo/Aniskovichnof6.htm

Contact our Representative and Senators to the U.S. Congress. Let them know your thoughts on the pipeline proposal.

Contact Representative Rosa DeLauro at:
59 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510.
Her local phone number is: (203) 562-3718. FAX number is: (203)772-2260
You may also contact her in Washington:
2262 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.
Call her in Washington, D.C. at (202) 225-3661.
You may email Representative Rosa DeLauro only by clicking on the underlined text and visiting her Home Page at:
http://www.house.gov/delauro/
Contact Senator Chris Dodd at:
Putnam Park, 100 Great Meadow Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109.
His local phone number is: 800-334-5341.
You may also contact him in Washington:
SR-448 Russell Building, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510.
Call him in Washington, D.C. at (202) 224-2823 or FAX him at (202) 228-1683.
You may email Senator Chris Dodd only by clicking on the underlined text and visiting his Home Page at:
http://www.senate.gov/~dodd/
Contact Senator Joseph Lieberman at:
One Constitution Plaza, 7th Floor, Hartford, CT 06103.
His local phone number is: 800-225-5605.
You may also contact him in Washington:
706 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510.
Call him in Washington, D.C. at (202) 224-4041 or FAX him at (202) 224-9750.
You may email Senator Joseph Lieberman only by clicking on the underlined text and visiting his Home Page at:
http://www.senate.gov/~lieberman/

Local Representatives to the Connecticut General Assembly

Peter J. Panaroni, Jr.	Patricia M. Widlitz	Robert M. Ward



Governer John G. Rowland	DEP Commissioner Art Rocque, Jr.	State Senator William Aniskovich

Our Representative and Senators to the U.S. Congress

Representative Rosa DeLauro	Senator Chris Dodd	Senator Joseph Lieberman