United Illuminating has reached an agreement with the state to pay for the massive environmental cleanup of a polluted former power plant site in New Haven.
The contaminated English Station site was sold 15 years ago, but there’s never been an agreement to remediate it. Now the cleanup is dependent on state regulators approving a merger between UI and Spanish utility giant Iberdrola.
UI and Iberdrola have committed to pay $30 million for the remediation in an agreement reached with Attorney General George Jepsen.
Shannon Smyth Laun is an attorney at Connecticut Fund for the Environment. "This is a pretty big deal," she said. "It's something that has been sitting unattended to for well over a decade." She said English Station sits on a man-made island on the Mill River. The power plant was closed in the 1990s, but the site is still contaminated with old equipment and oil -- some of which contain potentially dangerous levels of PCBs and other pollutants.
If PURA approves UI's merger, Smyth Laun said it still could be a few more years before cleanup begins. "United Illuminating has agreed to begin the remediation within three years of the merger with Iberdrola being finalized, and them gaining access to the property," she said.
In a news release, Jepsen said the state will "strongly oppose any attempt to recover remediation costs from ratepayers."
PURA is expected to rule on the merger in December.
Cordani: Anthem Deal Will Trim Medical Spending
Cigna CEO David Cordani is defending his company’s proposed merger with fellow health insurer Anthem. Cordani told Reuters that the $47 billion deal will increase choice and affordability.
The merger is currently being scrutinized by state and federal antitrust regulators, and many patient and physician advocates believe it will lead to higher prices. But Cordani said that better contracts with health care providers will trim medical spending and improve preventive care.
Cigna is currently headquartered in Bloomfield.
Auditors' Report Slams DMV Upgrade
State auditors have taken a look at the computer upgrades at the DMV that have been causing long lines in recent weeks. The report concludes that the multi-million-dollar project was poorly handled.
The contract was originally awarded in 2009, but it went through so many changes of management implementation was delayed by two years and costs increased by $1.9 million. Auditors conclude that the DMV should have used a professional contract management service.
Patrick Skahill contributed to this report.
