December 4, 2018
NEW HAVEN, CT (December 4, 2018)…The Energy Practice Group of Murtha Cullina LLP is pleased to share two recent successes before the Connecticut Siting Council (the “Council”).
Attorneys Bruce L. McDermott and Samuel R. Volet drafted and filed a petition on behalf of EIP Investment, LLC (“EIP”), in order to obtain state approval for siting in connection with the development of a large fuel cell project in New Britain, Connecticut. This fuel cell development project is just the first stage of a four-phase project that has been named “Energy and Innovation Park.” Overall, Energy and Innovation Park is a proposed redevelopment of the historic manufacturing site of Stanley Black & Decker.
EIP’s petition to the Council stated that no Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need was necessary for this fuel cell development because it would have virtually no impact on the state’s natural resources (e.g., local water sources and air emissions) or scenic values since the fuel cells would be entirely housed within an existing building. The Council approved this petition, which is significant because once completed this project will be one of the largest fuel cell facilities in the world. This project will also contribute positively to the revitalization of the City of New Britain. Moving forward with the installation of the fuel cells will be an important first step to this comprehensive four-phase project.
In another matter, the Council recently approved an application, drafted and filed by Attorneys McDermott and Volet on behalf of the United Illuminating Company (“UI”), for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need in connection with the proposed rebuild of the Pequonnock Substation in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Attorney McDermott also appeared before the Council during a public application hearing. The purpose of the substation rebuild was to protect Connecticut’s electrical grid from outages that will result from future coastal flooding and storm damage, which will allow UI to provide more reliable service to its customers. This application posed unique challenges because Connecticut—in an attempt to combat sea level rise—has recently enacted new laws concerning the flood-proofing of certain coastal structures as a response to sea level rise projections. Since the Council approved this application, UI can move forward with this project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
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With over 100 attorneys in six offices throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, Murtha Cullina LLP offers a full range of legal services to meet the local, regional and national needs of our clients. Our practice encompasses litigation, regulatory and transactional representation of businesses, governmental units, non-profit organizations and individuals. Core practice areas include litigation, insurance recovery, labor and employment, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, construction, energy, health care, trusts and estates, intellectual property, real estate, land use and retail and hospitality.
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