Plainfield & Canterbury · Submitted research
Behind the Filings: What They Aren't Telling Plainfield
SMART Technology Systems Proposal: CSC Petition No. 1719 & CT DEEP Applications 202503132 / 202503134
Status: SMART withdrew Petition No. 1719 on Oct 8, 2026, and the CT Siting Council cancelled the Oct 22 public hearing on Oct 9. The developer has said it plans to resubmit a revised proposal — any new petition would open a fresh docket with new deadlines and a new hearing.
For primary filings, community meetings, and full campaign archives, visit plainfieldtrashplant.org
Stop the Proposed Regional Trash Gasification Power Plant
Developer SMART Technology Systems (O&G Industries & AWTI) wants to place an 1,800 to 2,500 ton-per-day commercial garbage plant inside an active sand and gravel quarry off Routes 12 and 14—directly adjacent to residential homes, local schools, and unconfined drinking water aquifers.
Daily Trash Volume
1,800 - 2,500
Tons/day (650k tons/yr)
Heavy Truck Passes
~240
Daily trips on Rts 12 & 14
EPA Air Test Result
2.4x Over
Failed NO2 Air Safety Limit
Plainfield Referendum
90.2% NO
Voters rejected plant (1,148 to 125)
O&G OSHA Citations
371 Violations
$8.3M Fine (Kleen Energy 2010)
Why Plainfield Must Fight This Proposal: The Core Threats
Overview of public health, drinking water, corporate safety, and regulatory issues facing our town:
🫁 1. Public Health & Airborne Pollution
Failed EPA TestsBaking 1,800 tons of household garbage daily into flammable "syngas" and burning it on-site releases Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), fine particulate soot (PM2.5), dioxins, and toxic heavy metal ash over downwind neighborhoods.
💧 2. Private Well & Aquifer Protection
High Risk ZoneThe proposed 81-acre site sits inside an active sand and gravel quarry directly over sensitive, unconfined stratified drift aquifers that supply private drinking wells across Plainfield and Canterbury and feed the Quinebaug River basin.
💥 3. Corporate Track Record & Explosion Risks
OSHA RecordHigh-pressure gasification generates explosive syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide). Evaluating contractor safety adherence is crucial for a facility located near residential homes and volunteer fire departments.
🛡️ 4. Legal Strategy & Community Victory Path
Active BattlePlainfield is actively fighting before the CT Siting Council under Petition No. 1719. The developer is trying to bypass full public hearings via a streamlined "declaratory ruling."
Interactive Neighborhood & Landmark Impact Estimator
Select your street, neighborhood, or local landmark in Plainfield/Canterbury to calculate projected proximity to the proposed 81-acre quarry site, estimated truck traffic, and localized environmental considerations:
Direct Impact Summary: Primary haul corridor (Route 12). Heavy diesel truck congestion, braking exhaust, and asphalt degradation along residential frontage. Direct downwind position during prevailing southwesterly winds.
What Does This Proposal Mean for Your Home and Family?
Developers market this project as a clean energy and waste management solution. However, independent technical analysis of regulatory filings reveals key neighborhood considerations.
📍 The Site & Residential Zoning
Proposed for 81.2 acres inside O&G's active 506-acre sand and gravel quarry off Norwich Road and Black Hill Road (between Routes 12 and 14). While the quarry is an active industrial site, all surrounding parcels are zoned residential. The plant will process up to 650,000 tons of regional garbage annually.
🚛 240 Daily Heavy Truck Trips
Moving 1,800 to 2,500 tons of garbage every day requires roughly 120 incoming trash trucks daily, creating 240 two-way heavy truck passes per day along state corridors (Routes 12 & 14) between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM. This adds diesel soot, traffic congestion, and road wear near local schools and homes.
🏡 Property Values & Quality of Life
Independent economic studies on high-volume solid waste facilities (>500 tons/day) consistently show downward pressure on nearby residential home values due to industrial noise, diesel idling, heavy truck traffic, and potential odor events.
🔥 "Gasification" vs. "Incineration"
Developers call this "advanced recycling" or "green energy." In reality, gasification bakes shredded garbage in an oxygen-starved chamber to create flammable, toxic "syngas." Because raw syngas from household garbage contains tars and corrosive acids, it is burned on-site in a boiler to generate steam. Functionally, it operates as a two-stage trash incinerator.
💧 Aquifer & Private Drinking Well Risks
Siting an 1,800-ton/day garbage plant inside a sand and gravel quarry creates risks for underlying drinking water aquifers. Leachate runoff from waste piles or chemical wash-water threatens private drinking wells and municipal water supplies.
⚖️ The Regulatory Battleground
The developer is seeking a streamlined "declaratory ruling" under Petition No. 1719 before the CT Siting Council. The Town of Plainfield and Town of Canterbury are intervening to demand a full Certificate of Need process (CGS § 16-50p), granting residents full public hearing rights and stricter environmental standards.
📢 One-Click Public Comment Generator for State Regulators
Petition No. 1719 was withdrawn on Oct 8, 2026 and its record is closed. Click below to copy a pre-drafted comment letter you can adapt for any new petition on this proposal, addressed to the CT Siting Council and CT DEEP (Applications 202503132 & 202503134):
Re: Petition No. 1719 (SMART Technology Systems, LLC) & CT DEEP Applications 202503132 / 202503134.
To the Connecticut Siting Council and CT DEEP Leadership:
I am a resident of Plainfield/Canterbury writing to urge you to REJECT the developer's petition for a streamlined Declaratory Ruling under CGS § 16-50k. An 1,800-to-2,500 ton/day commercial municipal solid waste gasification facility located inside a gravel quarry directly adjacent to residential neighborhoods and unconfined aquifers presents substantial adverse environmental and public health risks.
1. AIR QUALITY: The developer's own AERMOD air dispersion modeling failed EPA Significant Impact Levels (SILs) for 1-hour NO2 (2.4x limit) and 1-hour/24-hour SO2.
2. WATER & AQUIFER: Storing thousands of tons of daily waste over unconfined sand and gravel aquifers threatens private drinking wells with leachate and PFAS runoff.
3. TRAFFIC & SAFETY: 240 heavy diesel truck passes daily along Routes 12 and 14 will create severe congestion, diesel soot, and road safety hazards near local schools.
4. DEMOCRATIC WILL: Plainfield voters rejected this facility by 90.2% (1,148 to 125).
I demand that the Siting Council force the applicant to undergo a full Certificate of Need hearing under CGS § 16-50p, and that CT DEEP hold formal evidentiary public hearings.