Remarks by Aundre Bumgardner, Groton town councilor and state representative, on the property closing in The Day: “Thanks to the collaborative efforts between the Town of Groton, state, and our conservation friends, we have protected in perpetuity the 161-acre Wolfebrook property, representing the largest open space acquisition in town history this millennium… Now and forever, Eccleston Brook watershed and vernal pools supporting both flora and fauna, intact mature forests, and stone walls of Native American origin will be cherished by future generations.”
GCA raised close to $50K toward the purchase of the Wolfebrook property through the Groton Parks Foundation, as mentioned in The Day article. Click HERE read more about the Wolfebrook property.
Pollinators and Invasive Plants
CT to expand & improve rail and transit options; public support needed!
Connecticut’s public and lawmakers have taken a first, exciting step toward realizing a vision for improved and expanded Shore Line East (SLE) train and bus transit service in Eastern Connecticut. The plan will allow residents and visitors alike cleaner, greener, more comfortable and less congested ways to travel affordably to destinations within and beyond the state such as Norwich, Groton and the Borough of Stonington, and Westerly, RI, with links to NYC, Boston and beyond.
Update: On December 16, 2022, an article by Kimberly Drelich came out in The Day titled Residents, officials voice support for commuter rail expansion. Of the ~fifty people who attended the meeting held at the Naval Sub Base on December 15, 2022, about 25% were GCA members. If fact, the idea to expand SLE rail service is the brainchild of Zell Steever, a member of GCA’s Board of Directors. Click HERE for GCA’s 12/8/2022 Alert and HERE for more info from CT DOT.
Artificial Turf Fields May Carry Risk of Head Injuries
September 24, 2022 The Boston Globe published an article about the risks of artificial turf playing fields. GCA has expressed concerns (player safety and health, environmental impacts) about this problem for years, ever since Groton’s Athletic Fields Task Force first revealed their plans to build more artificial turf fields in various locations in Groton. Click HERE to read the Boston Globe article; click HERE for GCA’s 2021 presentation on artificial turf. Cover page illustrated below.
The Future of Water: A Call to Action to Avert a Global Climate Crisis
On Wednesday, October 19, 2022, from 6-7 pm, Columbia Climate School invites you to join an important discussion about the future of water, how to protect this precious resource, ensure access to clean drinking water, and how to avert catastrophic flooding and seawater inundation.
Click HERE to register and learn more.
$1 sale of Mystic Education Center/Oral School
Leave a Message for Governor Lamont! Click HERE for GCA Alert information. The Day article, Mystic Oral School Advocates protest sale of property, provides thorough coverage.
How heat affects health: An overlooked outcome of climate change by Jan Ellen Spiegel
September 25, 2022 CT Mirror article. …Curiously, health tends to get second-class consideration among the many ways climate change affects our lives — after the storms, floods, drought and other more instantly catastrophic and obvious events. But climate change-induced health impacts are gaining traction as a primary concern — heat chief among them…. Click HERE to read the full article.
How heat affects health: An overlooked outcome of climate change
September 25, 2022 CT Mirror article. …Curiously, health tends to get second-class consideration among the many ways climate change affects our lives — after the storms, floods, drought and other more instantly catastrophic and obvious events. But climate change-induced health impacts are gaining traction as a primary concern — heat chief among them….
Click HERE to read the full article written by Jan Ellen Spiegel
Possible Shore Line East expansion, current service subject of public meeting
GCA Director Zell Steever received accolades for his years-long advocacy to expand SLE’s rail service. Article in The Day by Sten Spinella, September 21, 2022
“The Connecticut Commuter Rail Council held a public meeting Wednesday night to give commuters and the state Department of Transportation an opportunity to discuss issues surrounding Shore Line East service.” Click HERE to read the full article.
Methane Pipeline Being Built in Wilton with Ratepayer Subsidies
Eversource is building a new fracked gas pipeline in Wilton, with little evidence that customers in that area are eager to power their homes with methane….new gas pipelines are bad for our economy, ecology, health and the climate. Click HERE to read more. Map below shows gas pipelines already in service in blue.
