Business and the Environment: More Compatible than Some Rankings Suggest

-by Michael Wysolmerski, CTLCV Summer Intern from Yale University, michael.wysolmerski@ctlcv.org

CNBC recently released its 2010 rankings for America’s Top States for Business. Connecticut did not perform well, ranking only 35^th. However, given some of the criteria used to rank the states, the meaning of Connecticut’s low ranking is far from clear—especially with respect to the environment.

CNBC Top States for Business

CNBC used ten broad categories to compile its rankings: cost of doing business, workforce, quality of life, economy, transportation & infrastructure, technology & innovation, education, business friendliness, access to capital, and cost of living. Connecticut scored best, 8^th, in both the education and access to capital category. But Connecticut got its lowest ranking, 47^th, in the cost of doing business category.

Connecticut also finishes low, at 40^th, in Transportation & Infrastructure. However, the study’s criteria in this category include the quality of roads and the availability of air travel in each state, and CNBC “measured the vitality of each state’s transportation system by the value of goods shipped by air, land and water.” The CNBC study makes no mention of evaluating mass transportation options. As such, a high transportation ranking does not necessarily mean the state has a green transportation system. However, in areas such as education, quality of life, and access to venture capital, Connecticut ranks in the top 10.

Top 10 U.S. States for Cleantech in 2009

Perhaps a more telling set of rankings is the Top 10 U.S. States for Cleantech in 2009. Though each state possesses different renewable resources to tap into, the rankings attempt to evaluate states on how they connect “all the parts of the economy with natural resources and manufacturing know-how.” Connecticut, according to Frank Kuchinski, the VP of Marketing for Poulsen Hybrid, LLC, ranks 37^th in the cleantech rankings. This is an even lower finish than the CNBC rankings and is more distressing.

Within our region, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, all finished in the top 10 in the Cleantech rankings. All the Cleantech top 10 states have a Cleantech Workforce Development Plan, while Connecticut does not. According to Mr. Kuchinski, if Connecticut establishes a Department of Energy or the CT Energy and Technology Authority and Division of Research, Energy and Technology that was proposed in SB 493, our ranking will improve quickly, which would indicate a prosperous, inviting cleantech industry.

If the CNBC rankings are any indication, Connecticut seems to have great potential for Cleantech. Connecticut is ranked 8^th in both access to venture capital and education, two factors which the Cleantech rankings repeatedly cite as important to developing Cleantech. While Connecticut lags behind many of the top Cleantech states in Technology & Innovation, its ranking of 17 is higher than two top 10 Cleantech states, Oregon and Tennessee.

Forbes Greenest States

In yet another online ranking, Connecticut performed quite well. In the 2007 Forbes Magazine Greenest State ranking, Connecticut finishes 6^th. Forbes looked at six categories: carbon footprint, air quality, water quality, hazardous waste management, policy initiatives, and energy consumption.

While the three rankings are clearly quite different, examining the relative location of states is intriguing. Of the top 10 Greenest States, Washington, ranked third, is the highest performer in the CNBC ranking, finishing 15^th. CNBC ranks Hawaii and Rhode Island, both top ten green finishers, 48^th and 49^th, respectively. Thus, based on the criteria used for each ranking, it is nearly impossible to be both green and business friendly. Yet, the environment and business do not always have to be pitted against each other, since efficiency in business and sustainability share a large amount of common ground. Three states, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon, finished in the top 10 of both green and cleantech states. These states appear to be on the road towards recognizing this common ground. As Connecticut attempts to further its cleantech industry, the state can, and should, look to these three states as successful examples of a green state with thriving, clean industry. If Connecticut can become a top 10 cleantech state without losing its “green” status, it will join a select group of leading states in this field.

Common Ground: A Gem in New Haven

-by Michael Wysolmerski, CTLCV Summer Intern from Yale University, michael.wysolmerski@ctlcv.org

On July 13, Working Land Alliance’s annual field trip was held at Common Ground in New Haven. Part of the program included a tour of this remarkable center, located at the base of West Rock, led by executive director Melissa Spear. Common Ground’s website refers to the center as a high school, urban farm, and environmental education center where “a diverse community of children, young people, and adults cultivate habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice.”

Common Ground High School is the first charter school in the United States focused on the urban environment. The school incorporates environmental themes into every class, even ones not associated with the environment in a traditional high school. Other courses offer students the opportunity to operate small businesses using products from the farm on campus.

The center, however, is far from just a high school. Common Ground offers community programs from September to June, Open Farm Days every Saturday, and an On-Site Farm Market every Wednesday. The center also offers a variety of children's programs and a large summer camp. The on-site one-acre urban farm produced 6,201 pounds of food last season and employed 50 teenagers. A campground nestled in the trees is available for rental, and the center offers birthday parties and a community kitchen.

The unusual educational experience at the high school itself seems to be working. The school is now New Haven’s highest-performing public school in reading, and its students scored above the New Haven city average in every subject area on the latest Connecticut Academic Performance Tests. In addition, 94% of Common Ground students are admitted to college, with the remaining 6% attending other higher educational programs. Perhaps most remarkably, Common Ground is the only high school in the state to leave the “No Child Left Behind in need of improvement” status in 2009.

Common Ground is a truly extraordinary high school and community center. I have lived in New Haven for fifteen years, and at times I could not believe that I was in the same city while touring the grounds. Everyone, from prospective students and parents to community members who want to get outside for a day, should remember that this oasis exists just a five to ten minute drive from downtown New Haven.

For the contact information of various Common Ground employees, click here.

Picture from http://www.nhep.com/.

Survey Says: Close the Loophole, Not Public Access!

On Tuesday, July 20, hundreds of citizens rallied together in an effort to keep MDC’s lands open to public access and recreational use. West Hartford’s City Hall was swarmed with families, environmental activists, athletes, politicians, and nature enthusiasts who all vehemently oppose a recent jury award of $2.9 million against MDC and the implications of such a decision. MDC officials briefly described these implications before opening the floor to public comment. According to the Hartford Courant’s report, MDC’s lawyer, R. Bartley Halloran, said the judgment "changes everything” because it represents the first time MDC was held liable for a recreational injury. The verdict has the potential to increase MDC’s insurance premiums. Perhaps even more startling is the Superior Court’s chilling precedent that may lead other towns and cities to follow in MDC’s footsteps.

As more and more people spoke, a general consensus emerged: the only thing that should be closed is the liability loophole in the state’s Recreational Land Use Liability Statute. Several politicians vowed to work on closing the loophole during the 2011 legislative session including State Rep. David Baram, D-Bloomfield, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka, and State Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford.

Dozens of energetic residents also voiced their concerns—many of whom had deep emotional ties to the land. These efforts were not in vain. According to Rick Green from the Courant, MDC’s panel announced there is “no way” the district will deny public access to the popular trails that have become a huge part of West Hartford’s community and economy. Instead, they will wait until next year when the legislature has a chance to address the issue.

Contact your state representative today and question their position on this issue. If one lesson is to be drawn from Tuesday’s public hearing, it’s this: Everyone’s voice matters!

Plans for High Speed Rail are Moving Full-speed Ahead!

Next Thursday, July 29, DOT representatives from Connecticut, Vermont and Massachussetts will lead a discussion on the environmental impact of the planned New Haven-Hartford-Springfield (NHHS) high-speed rail line. According to Governor Rell, "this project has tremendous economic development potential for Connecticut and will go a long way to ease congestion on heavily traveled Interstate 91." The project calls for bidirectional service between New Haven and Springfield running Monday through Friday on a 30-minute peak period schedule. Furthermore, DOT representatives will explain how the NHHS rail line will eventually connect all of New England and even extend up to Montreal.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend the public meeting at 6:00 P.M. on July 29 at Union Station, located at One Union Place in downtown Hartford. Transportation officials from the New England region are already collaborating with Amtrak and federal officials to complete the preliminary work for the NHHS project, but public input is vital if the project is to meet New England's needs.

Briefing with DEP Commissioner Marrella this THURSDAY about Review of Permit Processes

This Thursday, July 22, DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella will give a presentation on the agency’s review of the permit processes in compliance with PA 1-158, An Act Concerning the Permit and Regulatory Authority of DEP. Commissioner Marrella will also respond to any questions on other topics.

The Briefing will take place at 11 am on the third floor Russell Room of the DEP headquarters, 79 Elm St, Hartford, CT. Anyone is welcome, or can call in to participate at 860-566-6507, passcode 8474174#.

Woman Hits Liability Lotto—Will CT Nature Lovers Lose 3000 Acres of Paradise? Public Meeting TUESDAY July 20, at 5:30 West Hartford Town Hall

By Nichole Strack, CTLCV Intern from Trinity College, nichole.strack@ctlcv.org

In mid-May, a Connecticut jury awarded $2.9 million to Maribeth Blonski, 43, for injuries sustained after she crashed her mountain bike into a large, obvious, yellow gate at the West Hartford Reservoir in 2002. In response, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) is considering closing its gates to all recreational activities to avoid potential future lawsuits and higher insurance premiums.

The MDC is a non-profit municipal corporation created in 1929. It owns several recreation areas, including the West Hartford Reservoir, which the MDC itself calls a “nature lovers paradise.”

Blonski, from Wethersfield and Rocky Hill, formerly hosted a public access television program about mountain biking. She publicly commented that at the time of the accident her head was down and she did not see the gate until she was only three feet away. Court documents indicate she was riding between 20 and 30 mph. An expert witness noted skid marks 20 feet from the gate, and that she was riding in the wrong direction.

The MDC argued the accident was a result of Blonski’s own negligence and that as a political subdivision of the state, it is immune from such lawsuits.

Nevertheless, after a complex legal analysis involving Connecticut’s Recreational Liability Statute and definitions of “municipal corporations,” “government functions,” “corporate profits,” and “proprietary functions,” the judge determined that the MDC was not immune from liability. The jury then decided the rider was 30% at fault and that the MDC was 70% at fault for not having signs and warnings to make riders aware of the gate that was present and closed for most of 30 years.

Since the jury announced its decision, the MDC has entered a motion to set aside the verdict. Opposition to closing the West Hartford reservoir has become vocal. West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka and town councilor Joseph Verrengia will introduce a resolution calling for the MDC not to close its reservoirs, and State Rep. David Baram said he will propose legislation that will stop future lawsuits against the Metropolitan District Commission.

Additionally, a public meeting on this topic will be held Tuesday, July 20^th at 5:30 P.M. in the Auditorium of the Town Hall in West Hartford. If you appreciate the West Hartford Reservoir, it’s important that show up and say so.

HUD Puts Up $100 Million for Regional Planning for Sustainable Communities: Will Connecticut Compete?

- By Erin Bourgault, CTLCV Summer Intern from Bates College. erin.bourgault@ctlcv.org

In an effort to enhance sustainable development throughout the nation, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the $100 million Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program to promote better regional housing, jobs, economic development, and investments in land use and clean energy.

These competitive grants will be awarded to regional alliances, such as state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), non-profit and philanthropic organizations, educational associations, as well as multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnerships. The grant applications are due on August 23, 2010, and will be reviewed by HUD, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Instead of competing against one another, communities across the state of Connecticut should pursue this federal funding in earnest by cooperating regionally.

“We believe that the ‘future of the city’ is tied to the future of the region-cities, suburbs and rural areas that surround them, and that America’s ability to compete and create jobs in the 21^st century depends on our metro regions.”

- HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan

Some Connecticut communities are already collaborating across town lines. Working with surrounding towns, West Hartford has secured funding to hire an energy manager who will work with each participating town. Simsbury has also been actively working with other Farmington Valley towns to find ways to share costs and create efficiencies, saving money for all the towns that collaborate.

Additionally, the Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) aims to instigate a new method of state and local government throughout Connecticut that will produce savings through regional cooperation in order to enhance economic competitiveness in Connecticut. Inter-municipal agreements help towns and cities achieve cost efficiency and savings by identifying existing costs and the legal obstacles that prevent changes. MORE will focus on regional collective bargaining, local education, mandate relief, state grants to municipalities and health care, and local revenue streams.

The cost of duplicating services, schools and operations in our 169 cities and towns has caught up with us. We can’t do business this way anymore. Connecticut municipalities must be open to new possibilities through inter-municipal agreements that promote efficiency. With a regional approach to protecting the environment and revitalizing the economy, Connecticut could be far more environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible.

It’s Time to Speak Up for Clean Transportation

Transportation for America reports that Majority Leader Harry Reid is making it his priority to pull together climate legislation this week.  He will be meeting with a group of committee chairs, and then Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will be marking up an assortment of energy bills at the end of the week. 

Initial reports suggest the final package will scaled back, and there is a chance the clean transportation provisions from the Kerry Lieberman bill won't make the cut. 

Please call your Senators today and tell them that reducing emissions from transportation is crucial.  Ask them to call Senator Reid in support of clean transportation.  Click here for links to Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation on www.vote-smart.org.   

Not from Connecticut?  Click here and choose your state:  http://www.vote-smart.org/official_congress.php.

The 2010 Connecticut Environmental Briefing Book is Here!

The Connecticut Environmental Briefing Book was originally produced in 2004 to help legislators learn more about the environmental issues they were being asked to address. We know that the Briefing Book has proved to be a valuable resource not only for public officials at all levels of government but also for environmental advocates, media and the general public. If you want to know more about an issue, the Briefing Book is a great place to start.

The new, updated 2010 version of the Briefing Book is now available on our website!

“Bike Partisanship!” Proposals to Make Hartford a More Livable Community

- By Erin Bourgault, CTLCV Summer Intern from Bates College. erin.bourgault@ctlcv.org

U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) held an open forum on Monday, June 28^th on Livable Communities and the Hartford “One City, One Plan” and iQuilt proposals, with special guest Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Chairman of the Livable Communities Task Force. These proposals are a great example of what could happen if the Senate passes Senator Dodd’s Livable Communities Act, which would encourage local, regional, and federal sustainable development.

Hartford’s plans should set an example for the rest of the state of Connecticut towards urban planning, improving transportation and housing options, and protecting the environment. The proposals include goals to revitalize downtown Hartford and enhance its role as a cultural center, as well as connect people to the city by improving mobility and coordinating multimodal transport.

The major focus of iQuilt, the “Capitol District Vision Plan and Hartford’s Pathways of Innovation,” is to create a Greenwalk between Bushnell Park and the riverfront, as well as a “Connecticut Square” outdoor festival and performing arts space to make Hartford a friendlier and more welcoming environment.

Although Hartford is a compact district, many people drive throughout the city. By improving streets so they are enjoyable, walkable and bike-able, citizens can become less dependent on cars. The new proposal includes a connection to Union Station in order to enhance the use of public transportation in Hartford.

Transportation is the second largest expense for American households, ahead of food, clothing, and healthcare.

The American Public Transportation Association estimates that families with access to good public transportation can save an average of $9,000 per year in transportation costs compared to households with no transit access.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer strongly supports improving transportation options; he said it is important to give people more choices in how they live, work, and move. According to Congressman Blumenauer, incorporating a “rich mixture of housing options” is essential to engaging people, as well as decreasing congestion and air pollution. By using phrases such as “bike partisanship,” Congressman Blumenauer stated that cycling is a tool to bring people together and the most efficient form of urban traveling.

Improving transportation options in Connecticut would do more than decrease traffic congestion; it would improve quality of life throughout the state.

US Livable Communities Act Could Help Revitalize Connecticut

- By Erin Bourgault, CTLCV Summer Intern from Bates College. erin.bourgault@ctlcv.org

In August 2009, Senator Chris Dodd introduced the Livable Communities Act (S. 1619) to help communities across the country invest in smart planning for housing, land use, transportation and businesses.

The Livable Communities Act (LCA), co-sponsored by Congressman John Larson and Senator Lieberman, encourages local, regional, and federal sustainable development. According to Senator Dodd, “This legislation provides funding for regions to plan future growth in a coordinated way that reduces congestion, generates good-paying jobs, creates and preserves affordable housing, meets our environmental and energy goals, protects rural areas and green space, revitalizes our Main Streets and urban centers, and makes our communities better places to live, work, and raise families.”

The LCA will establish in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC) to oversee the grant programs, and an independent Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities in the executive branch to coordinate federal sustainable development programs. The OSHC Director will research and report incentives for leaders to make, and homebuyers and homeowners to choose energy-efficient mortgages and location-efficient mortgages.

The competitive planning grants authorized by the LCA will carry out long-term projects to coordinate land use, housing, transportation, and infrastructure planning processes; identify and develop regional partnerships and regional plans, including local zoning and sustainable development; and carry out environmental, transportation, energy, housing, and infrastructure assessments. The LCA sustainability challenge grants will promote long-term development plans through investments in public transportation, affordable housing, transit-oriented development, Brownfield re-development, and complete streets.

With $400 million in grants for over four years, the LCA aims to advance “green” projects, such as the “One City, One Plan” and iQuilt proposals in Hartford and the 360 State Street project in New Haven. As transit-oriented development, 360 State Street is the first major downtown residential construction in at least 20 years, taking place at a long under-utilized site in New Haven’s central business district. Senator Dodd called 360 State a “living model for what can happen all across the state.” It includes offices, shops, 500 apartments, and a grocery store, as well as ZipCars, ports for charging electric cars, and thermostats reading watt-usage. A family living in 360 State will create only 19% of the carbon footprint that a suburban single family would have. The scheduled date for completion of 360 State is fall 2010.

In March 2010, Senator Dodd, Congressman Larson and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Sims went to Hartford and New Haven to promote the integration of housing, transit, and smart land use to create more livable communities. Congressman Larson said, “As we work to rebuild our economy and put our neighbors back to work, we must also rebuild our communities, making them greener more sustainable and more livable for generations to come.”

New Haven and Hartford have begun to take on this goal; the rest of the state of Connecticut should follow.

Yale Study Reports Renewed Concern with Global Warming

- By Erin Bourgault, CTLCV Summer Intern from Bates College. erin.bourgault@ctlcv.org

Anthony Leiserowitz, Ph.D., Director of the Yale Project on Climate Change and Research Scientist at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, recently released results from a national survey of Americans’ climate change and energy beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behaviors.

After strong support for climate and energy policies in November 2008, reports showed that both support for energy policies and beliefs in global warming decreased in January 2010. However, the June 2010 survey results should give us hope as public concern about global warming and support of energy and climate policies seem to be increasing again.

The report on Americans’ support and opposition to energy and climate change policies includes measures of support for specific policies, as well as the differences in political parties, and how public support has changed since previous surveys conducted in January 2010 and November 2008. Highlights include:

-87 % support funding more research into renewable energy sources (+2)

-65 %support signing an international treaty that requires the United States to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide 90 percent by the year 2050 (+4)

-77 %support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (+6)

- Conversely, support for expanding offshore drilling for oil and natural gas off the U.S. coast fell 5 points, to 62 %.

Since the January 2010 report, the belief that global warming is happening rose four points, to 61%. Further, 50% of Americans believe that human activities are the main cause of global warming, rising three points. The June 2010 survey revealed that 53% of Americans worry about global warming, rising three points. The number of Americans who said that global warming is personally important to them is 63%, a five point increase from January, 2010.

With the Yale Project on Climate Change, Leiserowitz conducted the surveys from May 14 to June 1, 2010, with a nationally representative sample of 1,024 adults. The two reports are entitled “Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in June, 2010” and “Public Support for Climate & Energy Policies in June, 2010.”

Although the number of Americans who believe in global warming and support climate action is rising, the survey shows that Americans generally are not ready to make global warming a priority. While supporting climate and energy legislation and acknowledging that global warming is human-induced are significant strides in the right direction, it is not enough.

Today is day 78 of the horrific BP oil spill; as much as 60,000 barrels of oil a day flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Now is the time for Americans to step up and change their everyday lifestyles in order to invest in renewable energy and combat global warming.

“Where is the Waste? An Introduction to Auditing Community Energy Use,” from the Energy Center of Wisconsin

-by Michael Wysolmerski, Summer intern from Yale

michael.wysolmerski@ctlcv.org

The Energy Center of Wisconsin’s (ECW) June 30^th webinar “Where is the Waste? An Introduction to Auditing Community Energy Use,” fleshed out the energy use baseline and resource baseline portions of the Center’s six step community energy planning process: forming the vision and goals, the energy use baseline, the resource baseline, the evaluation of alternatives, the plan and timeline, and the measure of success. ECW’s Senior Project Manager Ingrid Kelley and Project Manager Sean Weitner started the program by briefly discussing the vision and goals portion of the planning process. The idealized vision represents a concept or dream, such as improving the quality of life, protecting the environment, creating green jobs, or achieving energy independence. The goal makes the vision real, and in order to obtain a goal, one must obtain baseline data and establish a timeline.

Sean provided an overview of the audit process—what he called “the hard-data part of the project.” The audit provides historic energy use data necessary to establish a reliable energy use baseline. The auditor collects energy data, such as utility bills, electricity use, water use and outdoor lighting, from the area under study. In order to standardize the data, all measurements are converted to Btu’s (British Thermal Units). Data should be collected for multiple years to see how buildings perform over time. Sean pointed out energy intensive buildings, which use the most energy per square foot, as potential starting blocks for saving energy.

After an energy use baseline is established, the town must determine the availability of renewable energy resources, or the resource baseline. As Ingrid noted, all renewable energy sources are not viable in every area. Establishing the resource baseline thus requires analysis of conditions such as wind sources and flat roofs for solar panels.

Sean and Ingrid provided an example, using the fictional town of Cheeseburg, Wisconsin. The town, a typical Midwestern community of 40,000, wishes to reduce energy consumption by 15% by 2020. The town’s plan combines private and municipal buildings, including schools. Sean laid out a variety of potential energy saving techniques. For example, putting a pool cover on the community pool could save up to 60% on heating costs. LED stoplights would save lighting costs. For the town vehicle fleet, more fuel-efficient cars would certainly help, but other techniques, such as installing technology to regulate parking meters, could fully eliminate a vehicle from the fleet.

Though Cheeseburg represents a Midwestern community, the techniques suggested also apply here in Connecticut. By performing an audit process, establishing goals, and attacking the most energy inefficient areas of our towns, we can go a long way towards reducing our energy consumption. Once we combine energy efficiency with renewable energy, we will achieve clean energy.

Click here to view the full presentation.

DEP Grant Opportunity: Looking for Projects to Protect Connecticut’s Natural Environment

In an effort to preserve and protect Connecticut’s ecosystem, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is making available $4 million in grants for eco-projects across the state, including the coast of the Long Island Sound. The grant proposals must be for big, highly visible projects, ranging between $100,000 and $500,000. The projects must have long-term benefits, public benefit, and a broad impact state-wide or throughout communities. The main areas of focus for these grants include the Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River, the Hockanum, the Norwalk, and the Quinnipiac.

The grants will be awarded through the DEP Ecosystem Management and Habitat Restoration, as well as the Long Island Sound License Plate Program. As DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella stated, “It made good sense to combine our settlement funds with the resources of the Long Island Sound Fund. This combined funding offers us the chance to build on the work of the Long Island Sound Fund to support more projects, larger projects, and a much wider variety of ecosystem and habitat restoration projects.”

This grant program seeks to provide support for ecosystem management, restore land and water habitats throughout Connecticut and along the Long Island Sound, and to involve the public directly with efforts to improve and protect Connecticut’s natural environment and resources.  According to Governor Rell, “These dollars can be used by cities and towns and other organizations to help fund projects to restore or protect unique and critical lands, ranging from forest habitats to tidal wetlands.”

The DEP is now requesting grant proposals from non-profit, municipal, and other organizations through July 29, 2010.

For further information about the grant program and application process:

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2705&q=461150&depNav_GID=1622

Additional funding opportunities for Long Island Sound projects are available through the Long Island Sound Study and its partners. For further information: http://longislandsoundstudy.net/about/grants/.

For information about broader environmental funding opportunities within Connecticut, please visit the Connecticut DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep and search for “Grants and Financial Assistance”.

Take the Train to Yankee Stadium

-by Michael Wysolmerski, Summer Intern from Yale,

michael.wysolmerski@ctlcv.org

Since last year’s opening of the new Yankee Stadium, Metro-North’s “Take the Train to the Game^TM” service offers Connecticut Yankee fans the opportunity to skip the hassle

of driving to and parking at the Stadium, allowing them help cut down on vehicle miles traveled as well. Fans can take a direct “Yankee Clipper” train for all weekday 7:05 p.m. games from New Haven at 4:15 p.m. that arrives at the 153^rd Street Yankee Stadium stop at 5:50. Trains run for all regular season weekend and holiday games as well. Direct trains from the Stadium to Connecticut start to depart 20 minutes after the final out, with the final one leaving 45 minutes after the game. In addition, shuttles from Grand Central and the Harlem-125^th Street stations, both stops on the normal New Haven-Grand Central lines, are available to the Stadium. The train provides a comfortable, worry-free, and environmentally friendly route to the stadium—one that all Yankee fans traveling to the Stadium should check out!

For more information on the Yankee train, click here and here. For a pdf of the schedule, click here.

Pictures from http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10342.

and http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/yankees/yankee_home.htm.