State Senator Kevin Kelly Supports Legislation to Preserve Communities’ Quality of Life

Hartford – Yesterday, State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-21) testified before the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee and Environment Committee on two pieces of legislation aimed at improving the quality of life in the 21st senate district.

Before the Transportation Committee, Senator Kelly spoke in support of proposed Senate Bill 802, An Act Concerning the Construction of an Exit Ramp on Route 8 at Exit 14. The bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to construct an entrance ramp onto Route 8 at the exit 14 location in downtown Shelton.

“Downtown Shelton has been the center of several revitalization projects over the past several years,” said Senator Kelly. “But with development comes increases in traffic. To accommodate the influx in travel, I proposed legislation to build a new ramp onto Route 8. Measures like this promote Shelton’s redevelopment and also provide necessary infrastructure to our communities.”

Later in the day Senator Kelly testified at the Environment Committee’s public hearing in support of proposed Senate Bill 249, An Act Concerning the Remediation of the Raymark Superfund Site in Stratford.

Senator Kelly stated, “As a means to protect the environment and clean up our community for future generations, I proposed legislation to address the dozen “Superfund Sites” around Stratford that contain unremediated contaminated soil.”

Senate Bill 249 would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to report on the potential sources of revenue available to fund the remediation of the Raymark Superfund site and a remediation timetable.

Senator Kelly went on to comment that, “While I fully understand the fiscal crisis we are facing and also understand that sufficient funding is not readily available for remediation, we owe it to the people – the taxpayers of Stratford – to get this Raymark remediation project on the DEP’s priority list.”

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