State Senator Bill Finch
November 17, 2005
Finch Applauds UConn for New Pipeline to Willimantic River
State Senator Bill Finch (D-Bridgeport), co-chair of the legislature's Environment Committee, today praised UConn for their plans to replace a 2,000-foot section of pipe that supplies water from the Willimantic River to the campus community. The $657,000 project was approved by UConn's board of trustees yesterday, and will help to alleviate the university's reliance on other water sources in the area, particularly the Fenton River, which dried up in September, leaving an empty river bed and many dead fish.
"It's great that more students are choosing to go to UConn, a first-rate public school right in our own backyard, but unfortunately, that also means that more electricity, heat and water are needed, as well," Sen. Finch said. "The replacement of the pipeline to the Willimantic River will allow UConn to draw more water without endangering smaller tributaries like the Fenton River nearby. This seems like win-win situation to me."
Sen. Finch and Representative Richard Roy (D-Milford) had scheduled a meeting with Richard Miller, UConn's director of environmental policy, to discuss the problems with UConn drawing too much water from the Fenton River and what could possibly be done to rectify the situation.
"I'm pleased that they took it upon themselves to identify the problem, and then chose an environmentally and fiscally responsible way to fix it," Sen. Finch said. "It's truly proof that a community as large as the University of Connecticut's campus in Storrs can co-exist with the environment."
Sen. Finch represents the 22nd Senatorial District communities of Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe.
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