North Branford Residents Voice Concerns Over Proposed Propane Tank Facility

North Branford residents are again speaking out against a controversial proposal to build a propane tank facility in their town.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Enviornmental Protection hosted a public hearing Thursday evening on whether the proposal meets the state’s wetlands regulations.

Residents tell NBC Connecticut they are concerned about much more than just the possible effects on the environment.

Linda Arsenault has lived in her home tucked away in a wooded North Branford neighborhood for nearly thirty years.

"This is something that we know about so we’re hoping we can stall it or forgo it,"she said.

Arsenault is one of many residents who are against the JJ Sullivan Fuel Company’s proposal to build a 60-thousand gallon propane tank facility on Ciro Road.

"My initial reaction is health," Arsenault said of her primary concern.

But she also worries about rising insurance rates.

"We can’t afford to keep paying more and more money for things," she said.

Another concern for homeowners is the impact on their property’s value.

"If we try to sell our house in five years and someone says there’s a propane tank facility around the corner, a lot of people maybe a young couple with children won’t want to live here," Arsenault said.

NBC Connecticut tried speaking with someone from JJ Sullivan in Guilford, but were told to contact the Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE).

"We have strong federal rules on how these sites are constructed and operated," PGANE President Joe Rose said. "These above ground storage tanks are equipped with redundant safety valves that greatly minimize the possibility of an accident."

Residents say they fear any possibility of an explosion.

"In the event of an accident, it would be catastrophic, no question," North Branford resident Chris Kranick said.

At the DEEP public hearing, Kranick said he plans to present flaws in the company’s application process.

"The timeline on the application at the local level has expired and the second is the application that started at the town is quite different than the application that ended up at the state," he said. "And those two applications need to be the same."

If Arsenault had the chance to speak with someone from JJ Sullivan, she said she’d ask this question.

"Politely, why aren’t you building the facility right next to your business on river street in Guilford?" she said.

North Branford’s town planner Carey Dueques said JJ Sullivan and the opposition to the proposal will present their cases to DEEP officials in Hartford on September 15.

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