Letter: Proposed plant would hurt people with asthma

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To the editor,

There is a shoe organizer in the nurse’s office at Andrew Avenue School in Naugatuck. But what inhabits the 24 slots of the shoe rack has nothing to do with shoes. In those slots are 24 nebulizers for children with asthma.

There are many reasons to be concerned about the proposed dirty fossil fuel power plant to be built in Oxford near Naugatuck’s border. The soot from such plants has been connected to cancer and coronary heart disease. In particular, respiratory illnesses have been connected to these pollutants and other chemicals from electrical utility plants. Chief among them is asthma.

In the Naugatuck Valley (2005-09), Naugatuck was second to Ansonia with 777 asthma emergency room visits. Naugatuck had the highest number of asthma hospitalizations at 193. We hear from some that no one will die from the pollution. I find that cynical and uncaring.

Please attend the town meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 7 p.m., fourth floor, Naugatuck Town Hall. The town of Naugatuck and our Pollution Control Board has official intervener status with the Connecticut Siting Council. Let’s direct our Board of Mayor and Burgess to oppose the proposed dirty fossil fuel power plant.

Len Yannielli

Naugatuck