Letter: Proposed power plant has hidden costs

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To the editor,

Oxford First Selectman George Temple has been praising the financial benefits of a potential new Oxford power plant. What he has not been talking about are the economic downsides. Residents will take a hit to their property values, and the future commercial development of Oxford and surrounding towns largely will dry up.

As for property values, house values in Oxford will decline as the town becomes less desirable to future homebuyers. Many are unwilling to live in a “smokestack town” because of air and water pollution, potential emissions which are particularly harmful to children, twin smokestacks emitting 300-foot smoke plumes, visible from I-84 and many roads in town. The desirability of living and raising a family in Oxford will decline, as a California study bears out. So this plant will hit Oxford homeowners directly in their pocketbooks.

Regarding commercial development, desirable company headquarters, along with the research facilities envisioned for Oxford, likely will not happen. One need only look at the neighboring town of Naugatuck. A large insurance company — everyone would recognize its name — had decided to build their national headquarters in Naugatuck, providing 400 permanent jobs. Then that firm heard about the proposed Oxford power plant. Their reaction was, “either you get rid of that power plant, or we are not moving to Naugatuck.” This is what happens to the desirability of the greater Oxford area if a power plant is built.

So I would advise all Oxford residents to consider these “hidden costs” very carefully, and unite in opposing this power plant. It will harm our town irrevocably. Additionally, I would hope that George Temple and his fellow selectmen will reconsider their opinion of this plant, and instead recognize its great undesirability, and join in working to keep the power plant out of Oxford.

Frederick Raskopf

Oxford

2 COMMENTS

  1. Hi B

    Well if that is what is being referred to it’s more than a bit misleading as written in the above letter. Guess unless Frederick clarifies his point is moot. Thanks

  2. I live in Naugatuck and have been involved in local issues fairly deeply over the last year or so. I have never heard of this large insurance company coming to town. Anyone care to shed some light on this?