FAIRFIELD, CT - A grassroots organization of Fairfield, Southport, and Bridgeport citizens will host a community-wide rally opposing United Illuminating’s (UI) pending plan to construct 100+ giant monopoles reaching heights of up to 195 feet throughout the local area on Tuesday night, November 12 at the Fairfield Theater Company.
Rallygoers will be led by local and state officials as well as guest speakers who will make the case that UI’s project threatens the property rights of hundreds of residents and businesses, while significantly impacting land values, the tax base and the grand list. Over one hundred towering monopoles, visible for miles, would blight our neighborhoods, schools, churches, sports fields, store lots, and beloved spots throughout our towns.
“We have sent a clear and urgent message to United Illuminating that towering monopoles and easements over private and public property are not acceptable to the people of Fairfield and Southport. Our sustained campaign through letters, rallies, Town Halls, and meetings with United Illuminating and Governor Lamont have resulted in a bill passed by the State Legislature in May and signed into law in June making critical changes to the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) procedures. In 2025 we’ll know the result of our appeal in Superior Court, but your voice matters today and every day. I hope you’ll join us on November 12," remarked one town official.
"Undergrounding transmission lines is the smart choice for a densely populated area like ours—it not only safeguards private property but also boosts system resiliency and mitigates safety risks, especially during extreme weather events. This solution respects our community and ensures a more secure, reliable future," adds Steve and Andrea Ozyck, co-founders of Sasco Creek Neighbors Environmental Trust Inc. (SCNETI), which has mounted grassroots opposition to UI’s plan.
WHAT: Public Rally Opposing United Illuminating’s Power Line Project
WHEN: Tuesday Night, November 12, 2024 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfield Theater Company, 70 Sanford Street, Fairfield, CT
COST: Free Admission
FOOD: Food Truck, Cash Bar
MUSIC: Live Music by Fairfield band “Out On Bail”
The tract commences in the harborside neighborhood of Southport, CT a village of Fairfield and ends near the Barnum Museum, a recently designated National Historic Landmark, in Bridgeport.
Massive monopoles and disconcerting high voltage lines ranging in height from 95 -145 feet in Southport and Fairfield, reaching upwards of 200 feet in Bridgeport, will tower above treetops and steeples. Approximately 6 acres of trees face permanent clearcutting, while property rights will be forever relinquished by multiple businesses, churches, well-preserved residences, as well as a public library. Many properties will be at risk of complete seizure and/or demolition.
The overwhelming and far-reaching impacts associated with United Illuminating’s project are undeniable, causing irreparable harm to these communities for generations to come. The proposed 115kV transmission lines will span nearly 7.5 miles and involve the construction of over 100 towering steel monopoles, each with foundations reaching a depth of 40 feet. In doing so, they will disrupt waterways, wetlands and sites with long histories of toxic contamination. The United Illuminating project poses both direct and visual threats to cherished and sacred cultural resources in Connecticut, and its implications resonate on a national scale.
About SCNETI and Empowering Fairfield
Empowering Fairfield is a grassroots organization spearheaded by the Sasco Creek Neighbors Environmental Trust Inc. (SCNETI), a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The organization’s mission is to preserve and protect the Fairfield/Southport community by opposing the current United Illuminating transmission line rebuild proposal, and advocating for alternative solutions that better meet the needs of our community.
For more information visit EmpoweringFairfield