Senate Leadership
March 16, 2006
Williams, Finch Announce 'Land Preservation Act'
Forward thinking $60 million commitment to Connecticut's Landscape
State Senator Bill Finch (D-Bridgeport), Senate Chairman of the legislature's Environment Committee and Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today announced S.B. 656, the Land Preservation Act, a $60 million investment in Connecticut's landscape and environment utilizing surplus funds. Sen. Finch and Sen. Williams were joined by Representative Richard Roy (D-Milford), House Chairman of the Environment Committee, and members of the environmental advocacy community.
"The time has come to make a proactive change to the way in which we protect our state's environment," Sen. Finch explained. "We can't wait until the amount of open space or farmland in Connecticut dwindles to the point of no return. Our children and our grandchildren will thank us for acting now and saving what land is left in this state for future generations to utilize and enjoy."
"Farmland preservation is especially important to those farmers in Connecticut who continue to make a living growing fresh crops and produce for sale in our state and elsewhere," Sen. Williams explained. "And we also need to work toward a 21st century economy by revitalizing the urban brownfields that served business and industry in the past. Redeveloping those parcels helps secure existing open space and farmland."
The $60 million in funding will be taken from the state surplus and allotted in the following way:
- $30 million for farmland preservation
- $15 million for brownfield restoration and remediation in distressed communities
- $10 million for open space preservation
- $5 million for urban park restoration, with priority given to those sites with a historical importance to landscape architecture
"With Sen. Williams' support, I believe we have a strong case, and I can think the environment is an extremely worth beneficiary of a portion of our state's surplus funds," Sen. Finch said.
S.B. 656 will be heard on Friday, March 17, 2006 at the Environment Committee Public Hearing in Room 1E at 10 a.m.
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