Cathy Osten

Eastern CT Democrats Write Reps. DeLauro & Courtney Urging Investment in Regional Public Works Projects

Eastern Connecticut’s Democratic state legislative delegation has written newly minted House Appropriations Committee Chair Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-2nd) and proposed a list of regional public works investments that they believe could bring environmental, employment and economic benefits to the region – if the federal government thinks big about pulling America out its coronavirus-induced recession.

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) and state Representatives Christine Conley (D-Groton), Emmett Riley (D-Norwich) and Kevin Ryan (D-Montville) wrote U.S. Reps. DeLauro and Courtney today and identified approximately two dozen projects in Norwich, Franklin, Bozrah, Sprague, Ledyard, Hebron, Lebanon, Marlborough, Montville, Columbia, Lisbon and Groton that could benefit from an investment in federal funding, which they likened to a modern version of the Works Progress Administration program unveiled in the mid-1930’s by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

“Today, we face a similar need,” the eastern Connecticut legislators wrote. “As you may know, the total non-farm employment in Connecticut is down 101,000 jobs, or about 6%, from December 2019. In eastern Connecticut, we have fared even worse, losing more than 12,000 jobs, nearly 10% fewer jobs than we had in December 2019.”

“We have spoken with towns in the 19th District (and bordering towns) and detail below some of the most important projects as identified by local leaders. You have indicated that earmarks may be brought back; as such, these projects have value as regional assets, provide resources for addressing environmental concerns and relate to addressing needs that some of these small towns do not have the capacity to handle,” they wrote.

The proposed projects include: upgrades to sewer treatment plants, water systems and electrical substations; natural gas line expansion; sewer line expansion; upgraded water pumps and storage; new public works and public safety buildings; drainage, culvert and bridge work; ADA upgrades at public buildings; a boat launch expansion and upgrades; road work; and fire department buildings and equipment.