Security and Conservation Top Priorities to Courtney

REGIONAL - On a recent stop in Old Saybrook, days before becoming officially sworn in as U.S. Representative of the 2nd District, Joe Courtney stopped in the Paperback Café, spoke and shook hands with several customers, before sitting down to talk about issues he is concerned about.

Courtney was appointed to the House Armed Services this past December and recently appointed to the Education and Labor Committee.

Perhaps currently, one of the most discussed issues along the shoreline is the proposed Broadwater liquid natural gas facility which would be located 11 miles south of Branford.

The facility along with the floating storage regassification unit would require security zones and greatly affect boat traffic in Long Island Sound.

The Federal Regulatory Commission's, FERC, recent issuance of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement makes the facility a step closer to reality; however, Courtney said he is opposed to the project and hopes to work hard in Congress to stop it in its tracks.

"I vigorously oppose Broadwater and during the campaign it was an issue that defined that one of the many differences between me and my opponent because he voted for the Bush Energy Plan which opened to the door to the legal process that is saddled us with this structure," Courtney said.

Courtney hopes to build strategies with state legislators and members of Congress to keep the process from moving forward.

Specifically advocating reinserting state and local government in the citing process, Courtney said he would also look into how the appropriation process could be modified to slow down FERC and change its approach.

Courtney looks forward to working with Congressman Tim Bishop from Long Island and Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut's Third Congressional District, which has 25 towns, including shoreline towns from Guilford to Stratford.

Protecting the area from the Broadwater project is both a safety issue and an environmental issue.