In a meeting that even confused its own voting members, the Connecticut Siting Council has voted to potentially reconsider a plan to install taller monopoles in Fairfield County.
The United Illuminating proposal to install taller monopoles in Bridgeport and Fairfield has been pending for more than two years now. It has received conflicting votes of approval and denial from the state Siting Council, with the latest one coming on Thursday afternoon.
The council had voted to deny the project weeks ago. UI asked them to reconsider.
Thursday’s special meeting of the council was specifically to consider UI’s request. It opened with a motion by CSC member Khristine Hall to deny the request for reconsideration.
“By reconsidering it, the documents would be modified to show a denial and at a future date, within 90 days, we will reconsider it,” CSC Chair John Morrisette said. “We are not voting to reconsider it at this time; we're voting to open it for reconsideration.”
Four members voted to deny the motion to deny, and three voted to approve the motion to deny.
The technical jargon was confusing to multiple members of the council.
“I didn't understand the final vote. What was it?” CSC member Daniel Lynch asked.
“The motion was to deny the reconsideration and modification,” Council Chair John Morrissette said. “So the final vote was four to deny and three for approval. So therefore the motion to deny has been denied, therefore the reconsideration is approved. Is that clear?”
“No, it's not clear,” another member said.
“It's still not clear to me, did we vote to deny the reopening, or did we vote to approve the reopening?” Lynch said.
“We voted to deny it. We voted to approve it, excuse me, by denying it,” Morrisette said.
“And my vote was to deny the reopening, right?” Lynch asked.
“Nope,” Morrisette said. “Yours was to approve it.”
The council will review the project again in 90 days.
A comprehensive timeline of the project is available here.
