Middletown power plant as seen from the Air Line Trail in Portland. Photo by John Hall

A recent New York Times article by Maxine Joselow reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to consider only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, not the monetary value of avoiding illness and saving human lives. The pollutants affected are fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone which are signifcant health hazards in the lower CT River Valley. A PDF copy of the full article may be found here.

Beau Doherty of Portland is an avid wildlife observer and excellent photographer. Below, he shares with us some photos of species you might spot during winter. Be on the lookout for them on your walks, especially those listed as endangered, threatened, or species of concern. Several of these photos were taken at the Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary on South Road in Portland, a Preserve of Mattabeseck Audubon Society, designated an “eBird hotspot.“

The beautiful Hooded Merganser is seen often in winter at the Helen Carlson Preserve, in the Connecticut River, or in Great Hill Pond. This one surfaced with a small fish in its mouth. They nest in tree cavities.

Drone Video: Future Midden Lookout Park, approach from downtown Middletown over the North End neighborhood. Courtesy of Matthew Stauble, staublemedia.com.

On December 1st, Middletown’s Common Council unanimously supported a resolution granting permission for the Jonah Center to develop the city’s closed landfill (aka “midden”) into an environmental education and wildlife viewing area. The site overlooks a large marshland — the Floating Meadows — populated by herons, egrets, cormorants, osprey, eagles, ducks, beaver, muskrats, and deer. Continue reading →

Each year, tax-deductible gifts help The Jonah Center for Earth and Art continue our work. Please consider donating today.

We advocate for multi-use trails, safer roads for pedestrians and bicycles, clean energy and energy efficiency, protecting our natural environment, reducing pollutants and toxic chemicals, removing invasive plants, supporting parks, planting and protecting trees, environmental education, and sustainable living in the greater Middletown, Connecticut area. (Video credit: John Shafer.)

If you have already donated, thank you.
We appreciate your support!