Letter: Residents feel powerless

0
33

To the editor,

Many of us who are concerned about the health and safety of our planet feel powerless as individuals to do anything about it.

The proposal to build a fossil fuel power plant right here in our community gives us the opportunity to do something. We know from studies that these power plants emit toxins that are dangerous to our health and well being. If that isn’t reason enough for us to take action, then consider pollution to our waterways by the dumping of hot waste water, an airport which is 1 1/2 miles from the site of the power plant, and consider the loss of property values to residents who live 10 to 12 miles from the power plant. Studies have shown that all of the above will affect all of us.

Air pollutants are linked to cancer, COPD, asthma and heart disease. Toxins are airborne and most likely to settle down close to its source of emission, our neighborhoods. We know that fish only come to clean water to spawn. And, we know that devaluation of property values will decrease tax revenues to our towns.

NPR, a leading builder of power plants says that the future, especially for younger Americans and investors, is to decrease dependence on fossil fuels. Renewables is the segment of the power sector showing the greatest growth. Building the Towantic power plant in Oxford is a 30- to 40-year commitment to the continuation of burning fossil fuels.

The question is how will we respond? Get involved and say no to the Connecticut Siting Council and Oxford town officials.

Ruth Schiff

Oxford