Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee
Appendix C
Municipal Survey
July 5, 2000
Dear Chief Elected Official:
The Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee of the General Assembly is conducting a study of the Connecticut Siting Council. The council has siting jurisdiction in a number of areas including: energy, telecommunications, hazardous waste disposal, low level radioactive waste management, and ash residue management facilities. The study will review the overall operation of the council, focusing on its ability to balance the need for the facilities it oversees with those of the environment, public health, and safety.
As part of the study, each chief elected official (in office as of January 1, 1999), as spokesperson for his or her community, is asked to complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it in the envelope provided by July 24, 2000. The committee staff will use the numeric code in the top right hand corner of the survey for follow-up mailing purposes only; your responses will remain confidential. The survey results will be compiled so that identification of any individual will be impossible.
If you have any questions about the survey, the study, or would like to provide additional information on the council or siting process, do not hesitate to contact Michelle Castillo or Corey Simmons, the committee staff assigned to this project, at 240-0300.
The information you provide will help the committee identify the council's relationship with municipalities and give a better understanding of local concerns. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Nauer
Director
Enc.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE
CONNECTICUT SITING COUNCIL SURVEY
N=121
1. Title of individual completing this survey:
10% Mayor 51% First selectman 39%Other ________________________________
2. County:
14% Fairfield 16% Hartford 16% Litchfield 11% Middlesex
16% New Haven 14% New London 7% Tolland 7% Windham
3. Current population of your municipality:
49% Under 10,000 41% 10,000-50,000 10% Over 50,000
4. The Connecticut Siting Council reviews and approves proposals to build or expand power plants, transmission
lines, communication towers, and hazardous waste facilities. Has your municipality had any experience with
the Connecticut Siting Council?
60% Yes 40% No _ SKIP TO QUESTION 10
5. When was your municipality's last experience with the Connecticut Siting Council?
83% Within the last 5 years 17% More than 5 years ago
6. Based on your municipality's experience, how would you rate the Connecticut Siting Council in terms of the
items listed in the chart below: Circle your answers.
|
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
Not Applicable |
|
|
a) Quality of its work (i.e. engineered designs, site plans, findings of fact, opinions, and decisions/orders) |
16% |
56% |
13% |
6% |
9% |
|
b) Timeliness of its process |
20% |
43% |
25% |
3% |
9% |
|
c) Fairness of its process |
21% |
44% |
15% |
7% |
12% |
|
d) Objectivity of council members |
10% |
44% |
16% |
7% |
22% |
|
e) Providing opportunities to present local concerns |
24% |
38% |
18% |
11% |
10% |
|
f) Responsiveness to requests for information |
34% |
45% |
13% |
1% |
7% |
|
g) Follow-up and monitoring of sited facilities |
6% |
33% |
15% |
9% |
36% |
|
h) Consideration of municipal input in its siting decisions |
22% |
29% |
24% |
11% |
13% |
|
i) Disclosure of its policy and criteria to make decisions |
18% |
38% |
19% |
13% |
12% |
|
j) Overall working relationship with municipality |
25% |
43% |
17% |
8% |
6% |
_Continued on next page
7. Do you think the Siting Council is fulfilling its goal of balancing the need for a facility with the need to
protect the environment and ecology of the state?
76% Yes 24%No, please explain __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
8. Do you believe the Siting Council is the best entity for balancing statewide need for the facilities it
oversees and local environmental concerns?
70% Yes 30% No, please explain _________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
9. Do you believe that the Siting Council in making its decisions treats all towns equally?
78% Yes 22% No, please explain _________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
10. Jurisdiction over siting telecommunications towers is split between the council and local municipalities. In
your opinion, does the split jurisdiction make it difficult to manage the proliferation of telecommunications
towers in the state?
54% Yes 46% No
Please explain your response_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
11. Has your municipality made one or more telecommunications siting decisions that fall exclusively under
municipal jurisdiction since 1994?
73%Yes _HOW MANY TIMES___________ 27% No _SKIP TO QUESTION 12
11A. What resources are generally used by your municipality to make telecommunications siting
decisions that fall exclusively under your jurisdiction? Check all that apply.
Local Resources: State Resources: Other Resources:
_ Town Planner _ Connecticut Siting Council _ ________________
_ Town Engineer _ Dept of Environmental Protection ________________
_ Inland Wetlands Commissioner _ Other ________________ ________________
_ Consultant hired by municipality
_ Other ________________
11B. Does your municipality have the necessary expertise to make telecommunications siting decisions?
67%Yes 33%No, please explain ________________________________________
11C. Overall, is your municipality satisfied with the resources available to it to make telecommunications
siting decisions?
76%Yes 24%No, please explain ________________________________________
12. Please feel free to add any other comments or suggestions about the Connecticut Siting Council and the
State's siting process on the back of this questionnaire or attach a separate page.
Please Return In The Enclosed Prepaid Envelope By July 24, 2000
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.