ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR’S REPORT 7/19/07

SUBMITTED B= Y JOE SEACRIST

= SUEZ Energy̵= 7;s Pinetree Power Fitchburg<= /st1:City> Plant located at 2 Ro= wtier Drive, Westminster Ma 01473 on Tuesday 6/26/07. Issued p= ress release copied below, on June 27, parts of which were used in the Town Times and the Waterbury Republican the following week.

EDC Commissioners Tour Mass. Wood Chip Powered Generating Plant

Favorably impressed with what they saw

Watertown CT-June 26, 2007 –Today as part of their due diligen= ce responsibilities, a task force of members of the Watertown Economic Develop= ment Commission and Joe Seacrist, the town’s Economic Development Coordina= tor, toured SUEZ Energy’s Pinetree Power Fitchburg Plant located at 2 Rowt= ier Drive, Westminster Ma 01473, which is a biomass wood chip burning plant sim= ilar to the one proposed for the Watertown Business Park. The tour was lead by Jonathan Clap= p, the Plant manager.

Since Tamarack Energy, which built the Fitchburrg plant, is also building the plant in Watertow= n, commissioners felt they had an obligation to see for themselves the typical operation of a wood chip fueled plant, its emissions, its decibel level, any odors which might be created, and the general appearance of the plant.=

Commissioners were impressed with the quietness of the plant, saying they were able to carry on a conversation at normal volume less than 30 feet from the plant which was in full operation at the time. The only detectable odor was the f= aint smell of freshly cut wood. Emissions are tightly controlled by the State of Connecticut and the commissioners were pleased to see that emissions from the stack are computer monitored on a continual basis to assure compliance with state environmental protection la= ws.

The plant, which is white and blue in color was exceptionally clean = on the outside, and commissioners noticed that a bobcat tractor with a sweeper attachment was continually cleaning the parking lot and area where trucks d= ump their loads of woodchips.

The commissioners a= nd Seacrist also attended a question and answer period with both the Plant Man= ager and the principals of Tamarack Energy immediately after the tour, where the= ir questions about the possible impact on Watertown were answered. The plant Manager stressed that the millions of dollars spen= d on fuel will be spent in our immediate vicinity. He emphasized that the people working at harvesting the fuel will buy capital equipment,= and employ hundreds of workers in the Connecticut area. The power will also be sold in Connecticut.

Received feedback to the Fitchburg pow= er plant trip from two citizens. = First was Mr. John Pearl who stopped in to express his concern that the plant does not eventually burn trash as opposed to wood chips. Secondly Ms. Darlene Drummer,= who identified herself only as a town resident, indicated she was unhappy = with a power plant at all, and asked for the contact information for the St= ate Siting Council, which I provided for her. She later that day put in a c= all to the Town Manager, who was away on vacation at the time, and the call w= as transferred back to me, so I’m sure she will express her feeling= s to Mr. Frigon.

Attended, at the Town Manager’s request, the Small Cities Funding seminar at Rensellae= r in Hartford on June 27 representing the = Town of Watertown<= /st1:City>. This was the only seminar to = be offered in the state this year concerning small city grants. Gave the information to Lisa Cattaneo for future reference by the Town.

Attended the pre-application meet= ing for Stately Stairs, DBA Niton Enterprises, for their proposed 40,000 sf building in the industrial park. They appeared before the P&Z on July 11, but withdrew their application at the suggestion of the P&Z for further work.

Received a copy of a notice of vi= olation dated June 29, 2007, fro= m the CT DEP to the Baille Company concerning their property on a portion of= the old Watertown Drive-in site. The Baille Company has been accused by the DEP of improper discharge of stormwater associated with their construction operations, failure to register for a Stormwater General Permit, and improper removal of grav= el and soil along the banks of the Naugatuck River and placing constructi= on debris too close to a state established stream channel encroachment li= ne. They were given 15 days from = the issuance of the notice to complete a Compliance Statement indicating a= ll the steps they will take to correct the alleged violations. All proper Town officials were copied on the notice.

The Town Water and Sewer Authority responded to Tamarack Energy’s questions about potable Water, wastewater and rates. Concerning potable water, the Authority responded that they could buy additional water capacity from the City of Waterbury if= needed, and suggested a study of the existing system to determine what operati= onal changes, additions and modifications are needed to provide a reliable water supply. A main ext= ension of approximately 1,200 linear feet of 12” water main would be ne= eded to provide the expected approximate 500,000 to 600,000 gallons of wate= r a day which might be needed by the plant for cooling. Concerning wastewater, the plant might be discharging 100,000 gallons a day. Presently the town buys 2.75 mgd of capacity, a= nd uses 2.1 mgd, so the need for additional purchased capacity, according= to the Authority, must be studied. The Town also enclosed a copy of their current rates.

Passed on to the Town Manager a suggested ordinance for an Energy Improvement District in Watertown, at the EDC’s request. The Town Manager suggests and I agree that we need an additional meeting with Shawn Williams and Pareto Energy before the Ordinance sub-committee of the T= own Council receives the suggested ordinance.

Work continues on the Farmer̵= 7;s market concept, with a review of surrounding community Farmer’s markets and their success. Suggested start date for a Watertown market is summer of 2008.

Worked with Tom Hill to help his client, the suggested hotel at Echo Lake Road and 262, determine potential booking use.