IWA Continues Wal-Mart Deliberation To June 11

GROTON — The Inland Wetlands Agency on May 28, 2008, deliberated on the application of Konover Development Corp. to make changes in its previously approved plan for building a Wal-Mart Super Center in the watershed of the Groton Utilities drinking water reservoir. The discussion was continued to the next IWA meeting on June 11.

Hearings on the application had ended May 14, with a contentious session highlighted by a presentation by Zell Steever, a Noank resident and former state water official.

IWA member Eunice Sutphen led the board May 28 through a discussion of all Mr. Steever’s main points. The board appeared to feel that the changes proposed by Konover were not minor, as the company had characterized them. Ms. Sutphen raised the question of whether the proposed changes were so extensive as to require a new application, rather than a request for alterations.

The Planning Commission has denied Konover’s application, and the company is appealing the denial to the New London Superior Court. The IWA has approved the same application.

David Scott, IWA chairman, noted that if Konover’s appeal were upheld in the courts, then the company most likely would withdraw its request for changes in the original IWA application. That is because the proposed changes appear to be at least in part a response to Planning Commission objections. Mr. Scott said that if the IWA denied the request for changes and Wal-Mart won its appeal, then the town would be stuck with the original plan, which he finds inferior to the plan with proposed changes.

Another option, he said, would be to approve the changes with conditions designed to reduce contaminants leaving the site.

The session was adjourned, and Deb Jones, the town’s environmental planner, was asked to suggest language at the next meeting for a condition requiring increased treatment of effluent from the site.

Environmental Impact | May 28, 2008