Plainfield Trash Facts

The facts on the proposed trash plant
Plainfield, Connecticut

Update Public hearing on Petition 1719: Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom. Evidentiary session 2:00 pm, public comment session 6:30 pm. Sign up to speak by October 21. Written comments run to 30 days after the hearing record closes. What to write →

How to be heard

How to Be Heard

Start here

One email. Three minutes. The window is open.

Email siting.council@ct.gov and put Petition No. 1719 in the subject line. The public hearing is Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom; written comments may be submitted until 30 days after the hearing record closes, and writing now puts you in the record before the hearing. To speak at the 6:30 pm public comment session, sign up by October 21.283539

Say three things, in your own words:

  1. Who you are and what street you live on.
  2. The one thing that worries you most.
  3. What you want the Council to do.

That is enough to be counted. Why your own words matter, and what to write is further down, along with everything else.

To oppose the proposed Plainfield trash plant, contact the state directly in your own words. The live proceeding is now at the Connecticut Siting Council, where SMART has filed Petition No. 1719 seeking a declaratory ruling. In that track a public hearing is not required by law, but on September 3, 2026 the Council granted the requests for one and confirmed it in writing on September 4. On September 17 the Council noticed the hearing for Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom: an evidentiary session at 2:00 pm and a public comment session at 6:30 pm.343920 The Council’s September 4 letter says “written comments from any interested person may be submitted within 30 days of the close of the evidentiary record”, which comes after the hearing; requests for party or intervenor status and pre-filed testimony are due October 15, 2026 under the revised schedule.3541 A separate DEEP opportunity, a written comment and, if appropriate, a 25-signature hearing petition, will open when DEEP issues a Notice of Tentative Determination. The town referendum did not decide the permits; state agencies do.

This page explains each lever precisely, gives the exact addresses and emails, and is honest about what works and what does not. Every step below is sourced to CT DEEP, the Connecticut Siting Council, or the Connecticut General Statutes.

Right now, the most useful thing you can do is put your written comment on the Siting Council record now, ahead of the October 22 hearing, or sign up by October 21 to speak at its 6:30 pm public comment session, and copy your legislators — then watch for DEEP’s Notice of Tentative Determination, which opens the 30-day window in which the 25-signature petition must be filed.28121

The real levers

The Ways to Be Counted

Concern reaches the permitting agencies when it is filed the way the law recognizes. The paths below are the legally meaningful ones. The first two are DEEP, the third is usable in either forum, and the last two are the Siting Council routes that are live right now in Petition No. 1719.

The legally recognized ways to be counted, and when each is available.
LeverWho can use itWhen
Written comment to DEEPAnyoneDuring the 30-day comment period after the Notice of Tentative Determination2
25-signature hearing petition (PA 25-84)25+ people, one of whom is affectedWithin the same 30-day window1
CEPA intervention (CGS 22a-19)Any person or organizationIn a DEEP or Siting Council proceeding4
Siting Council written limited appearance statementAny residentNow, and until 30 days after the hearing record closes, per the Council’s September 4, 2026 letter and its hearing notice3539
Speak at the hearing’s 6:30 pm public comment sessionAnyone who signs up in advanceOctober 22, 2026, by Zoom; sign up by October 21 by email or voicemail39
Siting Council party / intervenor statusTown, abutters, residents, groups; must be requested and grantedNow; requests due October 15, 2026 under the revised schedule of September 17; the Town was granted party and CEPA intervenor status that day4142

The Siting Council routes are open now, in Petition No. 1719. The two DEEP routes are not: DEEP has not yet posted a Notice of Tentative Determination.21 That is why the immediate task is the Siting Council comment, and the DEEP steps are the ones to be ready for.

Lever one & two

The DEEP Comment Window and the 25-Signature Petition

When DEEP is ready to act on a permit, it publishes a Notice of Tentative Determination. That notice opens a public comment period — in DEEP’s standard notices, thirty days from the date of publication — and the exact deadline is stated in the notice itself.21

Two things can happen in that window:

  • Written comments. Anyone may submit written comments on the application. Comments filed during the period become part of the record the Commissioner must consider.2
  • A petition requesting a hearing. Unless another statute controls, a timely petition signed by at least 25 persons can request an informational public hearing. A chapter 54 contested-case hearing requires the additional specific-facts or CGS 22a-19 showing described by Public Act 25-84.1

Because the petition must show that a signatory’s legal rights may be affected, abutting property owners and nearby residents are its natural signers. Petitions may be emailed to the DEEP Office of Adjudications, with signed originals mailed or delivered to its Hartford office.3

CT DEEP, Office of Adjudications
deep.adjudications@ct.gov 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 061063

Note on the petition

A CGS 22a-19 intervention is filed as a “verified pleading,” a sworn document.33 If you are organizing a 25-signature petition or an intervention, having it drafted or reviewed by an attorney reduces the risk of it being rejected on a technicality. A plain written comment does not need this.

Lever three

CEPA Intervention Under CGS 22a-19

Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Act gives any person, group or organization a right to intervene in an administrative proceeding by filing a verified pleading asserting that the proceeding involves conduct that has, or is reasonably likely to have, the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water or other natural resources of the state.4

Once someone intervenes this way, the agency must consider that environmental harm and cannot approve conduct causing it if there is a feasible and prudent alternative consistent with public health and safety.4 A CEPA intervention can be filed in a DEEP permit proceeding or in the Siting Council case, and it broadens the environmental grounds the decision-maker has to weigh. Because it is a verified (sworn) pleading, it is best prepared with legal help.

This is not theoretical on this project. On August 29, 2025, DEEP’s Office of Adjudications granted the Town of Plainfield’s motions for intervening-party status under Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies 22a-3a-6(k) and under CGS 22a-19. No contested permit hearing had begun. DEEP said the future scope “may be limited by the legal issues and jurisdiction of this agency in any future contested case” and that the orders make “no conclusions regarding the merits.”18 The orders show that DEEP accepted the Town’s intervention motions; their precise effect in a later proceeding will depend on that proceeding and any scope DEEP sets.

Lever four

The Siting Council Petition: What You Can Do Now

This is the live proceeding. SMART Technology Systems, LLC has filed Petition No. 1719 with the Connecticut Siting Council, asking for a declaratory ruling under CGS §4-176 and §16-50k on the 45-megawatt facility rather than applying for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need.10 A petition is a lawful route provided for by statute, filed with the same Council. What differs is the public’s role in it, and that difference is the reason to act promptly.

The Council’s own guide for residents sets out the rules. The single most important sentence in it is this: “within sixty (60) days of receipt of a petition for a declaratory ruling, the Council may decide to hold a public hearing, but a public hearing is not required by law.” If the Council decides against one, “the petition proceeding is held ‘on the papers’” — in writing, with no public hearing at all.20 On September 3, 2026 the Council exercised that discretion and granted a hearing, confirmed in writing on September 4; the sentence still explains why the written record matters.34

One feature of this track favours residents, and it is worth knowing before you write. The burden is not on you to prove harm. Per the same guide, “the petitioner has the burden of proving to the Council that construction and operation of the proposed facility at the site selected would not result in a significant adverse environmental impact,” and the Council decides “after balancing the public benefit against the environmental impact.”20

The four ways to take part, and which one fits you

  • The public hearing is set: Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom. The Council granted the requests on September 3, 2026 and on September 17 noticed the hearing: an evidentiary session at 2:00 pm, where the petitioner, parties and intervenors cross-examine and no public comment is taken, and a public comment session at 6:30 pm. Several letters in the record asked for an in-person hearing in Plainfield; the notice sets a remote one and says the transcript will be deposited at the Plainfield Town Clerk’s Office.3934
  • Speak at the 6:30 pm public comment session on October 22. The notice reserves that session “for the public to make brief statements into the record,” limited to three minutes each; the petitioner presents an overview of the facility during it. You must sign up by October 21, 2026: email siting.council@ct.gov with your name, email address and mailing address, or leave a voicemail at 860-827-2935 with your name, telephone number and mailing address. Anyone not signed up in advance “will not be admitted into the meeting.” Written statements are accepted up to 30 days after the close of the evidentiary record and, in the Council’s words, “will be given the same weight as if spoken during the public comment session.”394035
  • Written limited appearance statement — open to any resident. No standing test, no lawyer needed. The guide describes these as statements “made by residents and other persons who would like to express their comments and concerns about the proposed electric generating facility site,” submitted “in accordance with the Council’s schedule for the proceeding.” The limit: those filing them “may not ask written questions” of the petitioner or the Council.20
  • Party or intervenor status — more power, more formality. Parties and intervenors are those who “requested party or intervenor status from the Council and were granted such status.” They may file evidence and ask written questions of others in the proceeding. Because it is a formal request with legal consequences, this is the route where professional help is worth having.20

What the Council did on September 17. At its regular meeting of September 17, 2026 the Council noticed the hearing, issued a revised schedule and granted the Town of Plainfield party and CEPA intervenor status, on the condition that the Town agree in writing by September 24 to extend the final-decision deadline to August 2, 2027. At its October 1, 2026 meeting the Council denied the Town’s motion to dismiss and request for a Certificate proceeding, so the petition continues as a declaratory ruling and the October 22 hearing goes ahead.45 Regular meetings take no public comment; the Council’s guide is explicit: “Regular meetings of the Council are not public hearings for which the opportunity for public comment is provided. During regular meetings, the Council deliberates and votes on matters that are on the meeting agenda. The public is welcome to join and listen to regular meetings, but there is no provision for public comment during regular meetings.”39423531

Where you do get to speak: the hearing’s 6:30 pm public comment session, Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom. The guide says “you must send an email to siting.council@ct.gov or leave a voicemail message at 860-827-2935 with your name, phone number or email address and mailing address by the day before the scheduled hearing,” and for this hearing the notice fixes that date as October 21, 2026; oral statements are “brief (limited to 3 minutes).” Zoom meeting ID 881 1968 8929, passcode 7eb4nX; dial-in 1 (929) 205-6099, telephone passcode 106620; the link is printed in the notice. Anyone who is a party or intervenor may not also make a limited appearance statement. Written statements are accepted before, during or up to 30 days after the last hearing day, and a comment sent now goes into the record ahead of the hearing.313539

You must choose one or the other. The guide is explicit: “No person who is a party or intervenor in the proceeding may also make a written limited appearance statement.”20 Decide which role you want before you file, and if a household or group is coordinating, decide who takes which role so that nobody accidentally gives up the other.

The Town’s DEEP status does not carry over. DEEP granted the Town of Plainfield intervening party status in the DEEP permit matter.18 That is a different agency and a different proceeding. Participation in Petition 1719 has to be sought from the Siting Council in this case.

The petition was filed on August 7, 2026; the schedule has been revised twice, and the hearing is noticed. Counsel for SMART delivered the petition to the Council’s Executive Director that day.26 The initial schedule set one date for public comments, state agency comments, municipal comments and requests for party or intervenor status: September 6, 2026, with a “Deadline for Action” of October 6, 2026 and a final-decision deadline of February 3, 2027.28 The Council granted a public hearing on September 3, 2026 and confirmed it in writing on September 4: a hearing schedule “will be developed and publicly noticed,” the Town’s request to extend the comment deadline is “moot,” and “written comments from any interested person may be submitted within 30 days of the close of the evidentiary record”.3435 The revised schedule of September 17, 2026 replaces the September 6 and October 6 dates: SMART’s answers to the Council’s 164 interrogatories, the Town’s answers to the Council’s 14, SMART’s answers to the Town’s 61, state agency and municipal comments, pre-filed testimony and requests for party or intervenor status are all due October 15 (the Council extended both sides’ answers to that date on October 1); the hearing is October 22; and the final-decision deadline is February 3, 2027, extended by agreement of the Town and SMART to August 2, 2027. Write your comment now rather than waiting for the hearing; the record is being built today.43414235

Three rules for the hearing itself, from the Council’s procedure. Public statements at the 6:30 pm session are limited to three minutes, after a short presentation by the petitioner. If you are a party or intervenor, or a member of a citizens group that has that status, you may not also make a public statement; the Council treats you as already represented. And written statements from the public are accepted within 30 days after the evidentiary record closes, with no extensions. The petitioner must also post a sign at least six by four feet near the site at least ten days before the hearing, with the hearing date and the Council’s contact details, so look for it on the road.44

Connecticut Siting Council
siting.council@ct.gov Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051 · 860-827-29359
Your state legislators
Plainfield is split between State House districts 44 and 47, so use the lookup to confirm which representative is yours. State Senator Somers represents the whole town. Sen. Heather Somers (District 18) · 800-842-1421 Rep. Anne Dauphinais (District 44) · Anne.Dauphinais@housegop.ct.gov Rep. Doug Dubitsky (District 47) · Doug.Dubitsky@housegop.ct.gov Confirm yours by address at cga.ct.gov24
Plainfield Town Hall
860-230-3001 8 Community Avenue, Plainfield, CT 06374 · make your opposition part of the town record25

What to write

What to Say

Keep it short, factual, and your own.

This applies to you if you live in Plainfield or a neighbouring town, if the trucks would pass your road, if you drink well water or care about the aquifer, if you farm or keep animals, or simply if you would live with the noise, the traffic and the air. You do not have to live next to the site, and you do not need to be an expert.

Why write it in your own words. The Council states that before reaching a final decision it must “carefully consider all of the facts contained in the evidentiary record” and consider “the concerns received from members of the public who submit written statements to the Council.”29 No published Council rule says duplicate or form letters are discounted, and this site will not claim one. What is true is simpler: a letter naming your street and one specific thing about your household puts information in front of the Council that a copied block of text cannot, and the only reference to form letters this site has located in the Council’s published material treats “multiple copies of form letters” as a separate category from comments submitted by individuals.29 Write it as you would say it.

A short example you can adapt: “I live on ______ in Plainfield. I am writing about Petition No. 1719. I am worried about ______, because ______. I am asking the Council to consider my concerns before it decides.”

Build your comment from three parts:

  • Identify yourself. Say you are a Plainfield resident. If you are writing about the plant, that standing matters.
  • Name your street. Give your road or neighborhood. Nearness to the site makes your concern specific, and it matters most for the 25-signature petition, which must show that a signer’s legal rights may be affected.
  • Give one specific concern, in your own words. Pick the one that is true for you and say why it matters to your household.

Any of these concerns is grounded in the verified record. Rephrase one in your own voice rather than pasting it:

Concerns drawn only from the verified record, for you to rephrase in your own words.
ConcernThe point in one line
Truck trafficAbout 120 truckloads a weekday by the petition’s own figure, each a truck arriving and later leaving; the town committees had estimated more than 100 heavy garbage trucks a day, roughly 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.2722
GroundwaterThe site is a sand-and-gravel deposit in a town that draws its drinking water from groundwater. It lies outside the mapped Aquifer Protection Areas, and what the plant would mean for wells is a question for the DEEP record. See the FAQ.
A second plantPlainfield already hosts Plainfield Renewable Energy, described in its federal permit record as a 37.5-megawatt wood gasification biomass power plant; SMART’s facility on Norwich Road / Black Hill Road would be a second gasification facility in one town.321213
No demonstrated needThe state has not shown Connecticut needs this capacity — by its own 2023 accounting it diverted only about 35% of its waste and missed the 60% diversion goal it set for 2024, so the need for a new disposal facility is unproven.581516
Environmental justiceThe site is in a state-designated environmental justice community: all of Plainfield is on CT DEEP’s 2025 distressed-municipalities list, and the census tracts around the project area include block groups above the low-income threshold.1317

Be realistic

What Actually Moves the Decision

Two honest points shape where effort is best spent.

The referendum did not decide it. Plainfield voted 1,148 to 125 against the plant in June 2025, but that vote was non-binding: the state, not the town, issues the permits.22 A 2025 bill (House Bill 7004) that would have let towns challenge permits like this by referendum was vetoed by the Governor on July 8, 2025.1423 The vote is real political pressure, but it is not a legal veto.

A central record-based question is whether there is demonstrated public need. The Siting Council may not grant a Certificate unless it finds a public need for the facility under CGS 16-50p.8 CGS 22a-208d separately requires a written need determination for specified solid-waste facility categories, including resources-recovery facilities; whether that provision applies to SMART depends on DEEP’s classification of the proposed configuration, which the public record reviewed here does not resolve.5 Connecticut’s 2023 report says the state diverted about 35% of its municipal solid waste, missed the 60% statutory goal and shipped 940,667 tons of disposal-bound waste out of state.1516 Comments can ask the agencies to explain, with evidence, the claimed need, applicable facility category, alternatives and consistency with the state waste hierarchy.

What to do now vs. later

A Simple Sequence

Do now

  • New · Sep 2026Send your written comment on Petition No. 1719 now. The Council granted a public hearing on September 3 and confirmed it September 4; written comments are accepted until 30 days after the hearing record closes, and the written record is what it must consider either way. Party or intervenor requests and pre-filed testimony are due October 15, 2026; the public hearing is October 22, 2026, by Zoom.34354139
  • New · Sep 2026To speak at the hearing’s 6:30 pm public comment session on October 22, sign up by October 21: email siting.council@ct.gov (name, email address, mailing address) or leave a voicemail at 860-827-2935 (name, telephone number, mailing address). Three minutes each.3940
  • Decide your role before you file: a written limited appearance statement, or party/intervenor status. You may not do both.20
  • Email the Siting Council now to put your concern on the record; the window runs to 30 days after the hearing record closes. DEEP’s window opens later.93
  • Write your state legislators through cga.ct.gov.11
  • Watch DEEP’s public-notice page for the Notice of Tentative Determination.2

Do the day the window opens

  • File a written comment within the 30-day period.2
  • Organize and file the 25-signature petition before the deadline.1

The window is short and the deadline is firm. A petition filed after the 30 days is not timely, and only a timely petition triggers the hearing.

Questions

Questions and Answers

How can I oppose the Plainfield trash plant?

Contact the state directly. The live proceeding is Connecticut Siting Council Petition No. 1719: write the Council, reference the petition number, and put your concern in the written record now. The Council granted a public hearing on September 3, confirmed in writing September 4, and said written comments may be submitted within 30 days of the close of the evidentiary record; the hearing is October 22, 2026, by Zoom, with sign-up to speak at its 6:30 pm session by October 21. Choose either a written limited appearance statement or party/intervenor status, not both. Separately, when DEEP issues a Notice of Tentative Determination, submit a written comment in the 30-day period and help file a 25-signature hearing petition. Email siting.council@ct.gov and deep.adjudications@ct.gov, and reach your legislators at cga.ct.gov.19

When is the public comment period?

At the Siting Council, it is open now. The Council’s initial schedule for Petition No. 1719 set September 6, 2026 as the public comment deadline; its September 4, 2026 letter, after granting a hearing, says written comments may be submitted within 30 days of the close of the evidentiary record, and the hearing is now set for October 22, 2026, by Zoom. State agency and municipal comments are due October 15, 2026 under the revised schedule. Email siting.council@ct.gov and reference Petition No. 1719.28353941

The DEEP comment period has not opened. It begins when DEEP posts a Notice of Tentative Determination on a permit, and runs 30 days from that publication date. No such notice has been posted, so no DEEP comment window is open yet.221 DEEP has said the Notice, when it comes, “will provide information on how to file a Petition for Hearing with the Office of Adjudications, as well as how to provide public comment and the deadline for both.”18

A different comment period has already opened and closed. The applicant ran its own, under the federal rule 40 CFR 60.57b(a), on its Preliminary Draft Materials Separation Plan. Its counsel wrote that SMART “will be receiving public comments on the Draft Plan from March 5th through April 9th of 2026,” with a public Zoom meeting on April 9, 2026 and a copy of the plan left at the Aldrich Free Public Library for review.19 That window was run by the company rather than by a state agency, it is not the DEEP comment period, and it has passed.

How do I speak at the October 22 hearing?

Sign up by October 21, 2026. To take part by computer, smartphone or tablet, email siting.council@ct.gov with your name, email address and mailing address; to take part by telephone, leave a voicemail at 860-827-2935 with your name, telephone number and mailing address. The public comment session opens at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 22, 2026, by Zoom (meeting ID 881 1968 8929, passcode 7eb4nX; dial-in 1 (929) 205-6099, telephone passcode 106620). Statements are limited to three minutes and speakers are called in the order they signed up. Anyone not signed up in advance will not be admitted. Written comments sent by email or regular mail carry the same weight and may be filed up to 30 days after the evidentiary record closes.3940

What is the 25-signature petition?

Unless another statute controls, a timely petition signed by at least 25 people can request an informational public hearing. To obtain a chapter 54 contested-case hearing, the petition must also state specific facts showing that a signer’s legal rights may be affected or that a signer qualifies to intervene under CGS 22a-19.1

Do I have to live next to the site to take part?

No. Anyone may submit written comments to DEEP, and any person or group may file a CEPA intervention under CGS 22a-19. Living near the site helps most with the 25-signature petition and with Siting Council standing, where a directly affected interest is easiest to show.420

Did the town referendum stop the plant?

No. The 1,148-to-125 vote in June 2025 was non-binding. The state, not the town, decides the permits, and a bill (House Bill 7004) that would have let towns challenge such permits by referendum was vetoed.221423

What is the strongest argument against it?

Ask whether public need has been demonstrated. The Siting Council must find a public need before granting a Certificate under CGS 16-50p. CGS 22a-208d imposes a separate need determination on specified solid-waste facility categories; whether it applies here depends on DEEP’s classification, which the public record reviewed here does not yet resolve.58

Sources

Where These Steps Come From

Official & regulatory sources

  1. CT DEEP, Office of Adjudications, “Public Act 25-84 and Initiating the Hearing Process” — explains the timely petition signed by at least 25 persons for an informational public hearing and the additional specific-facts or CGS 22a-19 showing required for a chapter 54 contested-case hearing. The filing deadline and instructions come from the Notice of Tentative Determination. portal.ct.gov/deep/adjudications
  2. CT DEEP, Notice of Tentative Determination (example public notice) — shows the standard 30-day comment period from the date of publication and the 25-or-more-person petition for a hearing. portal.ct.gov/deep/public-notices
  3. CT DEEP, Office of Adjudications — establishes the filing email deep.adjudications@ct.gov and mailing address 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Adjudications
  4. Connecticut General Statutes §22a-19, Connecticut Environmental Protection Act — any person or entity may intervene by verified pleading asserting conduct reasonably likely to unreasonably pollute, impair or destroy the public trust in air, water or natural resources. codes.findlaw.com
  5. Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 446d; CT DEEP’s solid-waste permitting fact sheet; and the applicant’s April 2026 legal notice. The statute separately defines resources-recovery and waste-conversion facilities and applies § 22a-208d’s need determination to specified categories; the applicant calls its thermal and biological components waste-conversion facilities. These records do not establish in advance how DEEP will classify SMART. cga.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov/deep · applicant legal notice
  6. Connecticut General Statutes §16-50m — the Siting Council must set a public hearing not less than 30 nor more than 150 days after receipt of an application. cga.ct.gov, Chapter 277a
  7. Connecticut General Statutes §16-50n — parties and intervenors; those entitled to a copy of the application, including the host municipality, may become parties by filing a notice of intent to be a party. cga.ct.gov, Chapter 277a
  8. Connecticut General Statutes §16-50p — the Siting Council shall not grant a certificate unless it finds a public need for the facility and the basis of the need. cga.ct.gov, Chapter 277a
  9. Connecticut Siting Council, contact information — Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051; siting.council@ct.gov; 860-827-2935. portal.ct.gov/csc
  10. Connecticut Siting Council, Applications and Other Pending Matters — lists Petition No. 1719, SMART Technology Systems, LLC; no Certificate application for this project is listed. portal.ct.gov/CSC
  11. Connecticut General Assembly — find your state representative and senator by address. cga.ct.gov
  12. CT DEEP, Materials Management Infrastructure Request for Information — public response filed by SMART Technology Systems, LLC. The developer’s own project on the state regulatory record: its stated gasification-of-refuse-derived-fuel technology, synthesis-gas and fuel-cell power generation, carbon capture, and claimed ratepayer savings. This DEEP-hosted filing is the primary source for the developer’s stated project figures, which are the developer’s projections and not independent findings. Read the archived document and transcript
  13. CT DEEP, Environmental Justice Public Participation Plan for SMART Technology Systems, LLC, Norwich Road / Black Hill Road, Plainfield — official DEEP-hosted filing establishing the facility’s location and its status as a project sited in a state-designated environmental justice community. Read the archived document and transcript
  14. Connecticut General Assembly, Bill Status of HB 7004 (2025) — the official legislative record that the bill concerning municipal referenda to challenge certain permit approvals was vetoed by the Governor on July 8, 2025. cga.ct.gov, HB 7004 bill status
  15. CT DEEP, 2016 Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy (adopted) — sets the statutory waste hierarchy under CGS 22a-228(b), ranking source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting ahead of energy recovery, with landfill disposal as a last resort, and commits the state to divert at least 60% of municipal solid waste by 2024. portal.ct.gov, Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy (2016)
  16. CT DEEP, 2023 Solid Waste Disposal and Diversion Report — the state generated about 3.48 million tons of MSW in 2023 and diverted only about 35%; DEEP states it “did not meet its statutory goal of 60% diversion by January 1, 2024,” with more than 940,000 tons exported out of state after the MIRA facility closed. portal.ct.gov, 2023 Solid Waste Disposal and Diversion Report
  17. CT DEEP, Environmental Justice 2025 Set (block groups and distressed municipalities) — live state GIS data placing Plainfield on the 2025 distressed-municipalities list with no grace period, making the whole town an environmental justice community under CGS 22a-20a; three block groups in the census tracts encompassing the project area exceed the 30% low-income threshold. geodata.ct.gov, CT DEEP Environmental Justice 2025 Set
  18. CT DEEP, Office of Adjudications, letter of August 29, 2025, re: “Petition for Hearing and Motions for Intervention, Application Nos. 202503132 & 202503134,” signed by Kathleen W. Reiser, Esq., Hearing Officer — establishes that DEEP granted the Town of Plainfield intervening party status under Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies 22a-3a-6(k) and granted its separate motion under CGS 22a-19; that a hearing petition filed before a Notice of Tentative Determination is “premature” rather than denied; and that the Notice, when issued, “will provide information on how to file a Petition for Hearing with the Office of Adjudications, as well as how to provide public comment and the deadline for both.” Document hosted by the Town of Plainfield. Read the document and transcript
  19. Pullman & Comley, LLC, counsel to SMART Technology Systems, LLC, letter of March 5, 2026 to the Plainfield Aldrich Free Public Library, signed by Lee D. Hoffman — establishes the applicant’s own comment process on its Preliminary Draft Materials Separation Plan, run “pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 60.57b(a),” open “from March 5th through April 9th of 2026,” with a Zoom meeting at 7:00 p.m. on April 9, 2026. This window has closed and is separate from any CT DEEP comment period. Document hosted by the Town of Plainfield. Read the archived document and transcript
  20. Connecticut Siting Council, Citizens Guide to Siting Council Procedures: Petition for a Declaratory Ruling Without a Public Hearing — the Council’s own guide for petitions without a hearing, which governed the first month of this one; with a hearing granted on September 3, 2026, the companion guide for petitions with a public hearing (below) describes the hearing stage. Establishes that “within sixty (60) days of receipt of a petition for a declaratory ruling, the Council may decide to hold a public hearing, but a public hearing is not required by law”; that without one “the petition proceeding is held ‘on the papers’”; that parties and intervenors “requested party or intervenor status from the Council and were granted such status”; that written limited appearance statements are made by residents “in accordance with the Council’s schedule for the proceeding” and that those filing them “may not ask written questions”; that “No person who is a party or intervenor in the proceeding may also make a written limited appearance statement”; and that “the petitioner has the burden of proving to the Council that construction and operation of the proposed facility at the site selected would not result in a significant adverse environmental impact.” portal.ct.gov (PDF)

News coverage

  1. Norwich Bulletin via AOL, “Here’s the status of the proposed trash-to-energy plant in Plainfield” — DEEP air and solid waste applications filed; no Notice of Tentative Determination / comment window opened; town permits planned later in 2026. AOL syndication link no longer live; checked September 3, 2026
  2. Hartford Courant via Government Technology, “Connecticut Residents Object to Plans for High-Tech Trash Plant” — June 2025 referendum 1,148–125, non-binding; joint town-committee letter on 100+ trucks 6 a.m.–5 p.m. govtech.com
  3. CT Mirror, “Lamont finishes review of 2025 bills with a veto” — HB 7004, which would have let towns challenge such permits by referendum, vetoed July 8, 2025. ctmirror.org

Local government & legislators

  1. Connecticut General Assembly, Districts by Town — Plainfield is represented by State Senator Heather Somers (Senate District 18) and, split between House districts, State Representative Anne Dauphinais (District 44) and State Representative Doug Dubitsky (District 47). cga.ct.gov, Districts by Town
  2. Town of Plainfield, First Selectman’s Office — Town Hall, 8 Community Avenue, Plainfield, CT 06374; 860-230-3001. plainfieldct.org

The petition itself

  1. Pullman & Comley, LLC (Lee D. Hoffman) to Melanie Bachman, Esq., Executive Director, Connecticut Siting Council, letter of August 7, 2026 transmitting the petition “via electronic mail and hand delivery,” copied to the Plainfield Town Clerk. Establishes the filing date that started the Council’s sixty-day period for deciding whether to hold a public hearing; it decided on September 3, 2026 to hold one, confirmed in writing on September 4.
  2. SMART Technology Systems, LLC, Petition for a Declaratory Ruling That No Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Is Required, filed with the Connecticut Siting Council August 7, 2026 (the applicant’s own filing). Source for the CGS §16-50k(a) argument, the 81.2-acre footprint, the 115-kV interconnection, the 1,800-ton average and 2,500-ton maximum daily acceptance rates, and the operations figure of “around 120 loads per weekday.”
  3. Connecticut Siting Council, Schedule, Petition No. 1719 (petition received August 7, 2026), and Council correspondence of August 10, 2026. The Schedule sets: Public Comment Period Deadline September 6, 2026; Deadline for State Agency Comments September 6, 2026; Deadline for Municipal Comments September 6, 2026; Deadline to Request Party or Intervenor Status September 6, 2026; Deadline for Action October 6, 2026; Deadline for Final Decision February 3, 2027. The correspondence comprises a letter from Executive Director Melanie A. Bachman to the Town of Plainfield’s First Selectperson confirming notice under RCSA §16-50j-40 and inviting written comments by September 6, 2026; a memorandum soliciting written comments from fifteen state officials across fourteen state agencies and offices (including DEEP, DPH, PURA, DOT, the State Historic Preservation Office and the Council on Environmental Quality) by the same date; and the service list of August 10, 2026, which shows the petitioner as the only listed participant. schedule (PDF) · town letter (PDF) · state agency memo (PDF) · service list (PDF)
  4. Connecticut Siting Council, Agenda, Regular Energy/Telecommunications Meeting, issued August 27, 2026 by Executive Director Melanie Bachman for the meeting of Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 1:00 p.m., held via Zoom remote conferencing. Petition No. 1719 is item 9, captioned “CGS §4-176 Deadline for Action – Requests for Hearing.” The agenda prints the Zoom link, meeting ID 868 2595 8246 and a dial-in number, and states that draft documents for agenda items are posted under the Meetings and Minutes tab. portal.ct.gov (PDF) Hearing requests on file include the Council on Environmental Quality (August 26, 2026) and State Senator Heather Somers (August 14, 2026); counsel for SMART wrote on August 19, 2026 that it “has no objection to a public hearing being conducted for this Petition.” The Council’s acknowledgement letter of August 26, 2026 also states that “before reaching a final decision on any petition, the Council must carefully consider all of the facts contained in the evidentiary record that is developed by the Council, the petitioner, parties and intervenors in the proceeding, and consider all of the comments received from state agencies and the concerns received from members of the public who submit written statements to the Council.” Separately, the Connecticut Siting Council Report of December 31, 2024 (Public Act 24-144, Sec. 12) recommends that the Council post “all written public comments submitted by individuals (not including multiple copies of form letters)” on its website; that is the only reference to form letters located in the Council’s published material, and it concerns website posting rather than the weight given to a comment. 2024 CSC report (PDF)
  5. First Selectman Kevin M. Cunningham, Town of Plainfield, in a written account sent the same day of the Connecticut Siting Council meeting of September 3, 2026, which he attended by Zoom with the Town’s attorney, Ann Catino. Establishes that the Council granted the requests for a public hearing on Petition No. 1719; that the requests “were granted with little commentary”; that dates were not discussed and would be set by staff; that three Council members spoke, to the effect that given the size of the project it is very appropriate to hold a hearing, that one “look[ed] forward to a robust public hearing,” and that another said that given the number of requests for a public hearing it is appropriate to move forward with one; and that the Council’s next meeting is September 17, 2026, when it may take up the Town’s motion to move the matter to a Certificate proceeding and to declare the petition insufficient for failure to comply with environmental justice requirements. The three members’ remarks are relayed in the account as Attorney Catino’s report; the rest is the First Selectman’s own account. Attorney Catino practices environmental and land use law at Halloran & Sage (halloransage.com). A participant account, since confirmed by the Council’s letters of September 4, 2026, which record the grant; as of the evening of September 3 the Council had published no hearing notice, revised schedule or decision in the petition file, and the Town’s motion did not appear there. Read the account and download the original.
  6. Connecticut Siting Council, Citizens Guide to Siting Council Procedures: Petition for a Declaratory Ruling, Electric Generating or Energy Storage Facility, the version for petitions with a public hearing. The companion to the without-hearing guide, and the one that describes the hearing stage: residents may take part “by providing an oral limited appearance statement during the public comment session of the hearing or by submitting a written limited appearance statement to the Council before, during or up to 30 days after the last hearing held on a matter”; “The 6:30 PM public comment session of the hearing is reserved for oral limited appearance statements.” portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  7. U.S. EPA Region 1, draft NPDES permit for Plainfield Renewable Energy, Plainfield, Connecticut (2025): the federal permit record for the existing Plainfield plant. Read the archived document
  8. Connecticut General Statutes §22a-19(a)(1): any person “may intervene as a party on the filing of a verified pleading asserting that the proceeding or action for judicial review involves conduct which has, or which is reasonably likely to have, the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water or other natural resources of the state.” cga.ct.gov, Chapter 439
  9. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie A. Bachman, Executive Director) to the Service List, letter of September 4, 2026, “CGS §4-176 Deadline for Action – Requests for Public Hearing”: “During a regular meeting of the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) held on September 3, 2026, the Council granted the Requests for a Public Hearing submitted for the above-referenced petition for a declaratory ruling. A schedule for the public hearing will be developed and publicly noticed in compliance with Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) §4-177(b).” The Council’s own written record of the decision. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  10. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie A. Bachman) to Ann M. Catino, Alan P. Curto and Richard Roberts, Halloran Sage LLP, counsel for the Town of Plainfield, letter of September 4, 2026 (35 pages with enclosures): “During a regular meeting held on September 3, 2026, the Council voted to hold a public hearing on this matter. A schedule for the public hearing will be developed and publicly noticed in compliance with Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) §4-177(b). The Council’s vote to hold a public hearing rendered the Town’s request for an extension of the public comment period deadline moot. Written comments from any interested person may be submitted within 30 days of the close of the evidentiary record.” Places the Town’s request for party/intervenor status and CEPA intervenor status on the September 17, 2026 agenda and its request for a Certificate proceeding and motion to dismiss on the October 1, 2026 agenda. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  11. Town of Plainfield (Ann M. Catino, Alan P. Curto and Richard P. Roberts, Halloran Sage LLP), Motion for Party or Intervenor Status, Request for a Hearing and Additional Requests, filed with the Connecticut Siting Council September 2, 2026 (12 pages, scanned). Requests party status under CGS §16-50n and RCSA §16-50j-38 to 40 or, in the alternative, intervenor status; status under the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act, CGS §22a-19; in the alternative a public hearing under RCSA §16-50j-40; and an extension of the comment deadline “for an additional period of at least 75 days.” States the Town’s concerns as “noise; air and water; wildlife and traffic,” citing the state-listed species identified in the petitioner’s own species report. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  12. Town of Plainfield (Halloran Sage LLP), Requests to the Connecticut Siting Council to Conduct a Full Certificate Proceeding in this Matter and to Dismiss the Petition due to an Existing Jurisdictional Defect, filed September 2, 2026 (21 pages, scanned). Asks the Council to “refuse substantive consideration” of the petition, arguing it “fails to satisfy the requirements for a declaratory ruling pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-50k(a) and is further insufficient under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-20a,” that “as a threshold matter, the Petition as filed is jurisdictionally deficient because the Petitioner has not complied with the environmental justice conditions precedent to filing with the Council as set forth in section 22a-20a(b)(1)(A)-(C),” and that SMART should instead be ordered to apply for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  13. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie Bachman, Executive Director), notice and agenda of the Regular Energy/Telecommunications Meeting of Thursday, September 17, 2026, 1:00 p.m., by Zoom, issued September 10, 2026. Item 10 is Petition No. 1719: “Schedule. Request for Party/Intervenor Status and CEPA Intervenor Status.” Item 1 is the minutes of September 3, 2026. The notice states that “the draft documents related to the agenda items will be available to view on-line” under the Council’s Meetings and Minutes tab; none for this petition had appeared there as of September 10. Meeting ID 868 2595 8246; dial-in +1 929 205 6099. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  14. Connecticut Siting Council, Hearing Notice, Petition No. 1719, dated September 17, 2026: the Council “will conduct a public hearing via Zoom remote conferencing on October 22, 2026, beginning with an evidentiary session at 2:00 p.m., and continuing with a public comment session at 6:30 p.m.” The purpose is “to receive evidence on the petitioner’s assertions that the construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility will not have a substantial adverse environmental effect.” “No public comments will be received during the 2:00 p.m. evidentiary session”; the 6:30 p.m. session “will be reserved for the public to make brief statements into the record. Public statements are limited to 3 minutes,” and the petitioner will present an overview of the facility during it. To speak, email siting.council@ct.gov with name, email address and mailing address, or leave a voicemail at 860-827-2935 with name, telephone number and mailing address, by October 21, 2026. Testimony and exhibits to be pre-filed, and any request for party or intervenor status filed, by October 15, 2026. Parties and intervenors may file briefs within 30 days after the close of the evidentiary record; any person who is not a party or intervenor may file a written statement in the same 30 days, after which nothing is accepted “except as otherwise prescribed by law or the Council.” A verbatim transcript will be posted on the Council’s website and deposited in the Plainfield Town Clerk’s Office. Zoom meeting ID 881 1968 8929, passcode 7eb4nX; dial-in 1 (929) 205-6099, telephone passcode 106620. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  15. Connecticut Siting Council, Instructions for Public Access, Petition No. 1719 Remote Public Hearing, October 22, 2026 (evidentiary session 2 PM, public comment session 6:30 PM): “you must sign-up in advance to speak during the 6:30 p.m. public comment session”; “If the email and name of the person or the phone number and name of the person is not provided in writing to the Council in advance, they will not be admitted into the meeting”; microphones are muted on entry and opened “in the order in which people are signed up to speak”; and “Public comments may also be submitted to the Council by email at siting.council@ct.gov or by regular mail. Such written comments will be given the same weight as if spoken during the public comment session.” portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  16. Connecticut Siting Council, Revised Schedule, Petition No. 1719, revised September 17, 2026 (an earlier revision of September 14, 2026 carried the same dates with the hearing still to be determined): petition received August 7, 2026; Council 60-day action, hold public hearing, September 3, 2026; Council interrogatories issued September 14, responses due October 5, 2026 (extended on October 1 to October 15); pre-hearing conference via Zoom, 11:00 a.m., September 30, 2026; deadline for exchange of interrogatories between parties and intervenors October 1, 2026; deadlines for state agency comments, municipal comments, pre-filed testimony and responses to interrogatories, and requests for party or intervenor status all October 15, 2026; public hearing, 2:00 p.m. evidentiary session and 6:30 p.m. public comment session via Zoom, October 22, 2026; continued evidentiary sessions “if necessary,” close of the evidentiary record, post-hearing briefs and proposed findings of fact, close of the public comment period, draft findings of fact and draft opinion, decision and order all “TBD”; deadline for final decision February 3, 2027. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  17. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie Bachman, Executive Director) to Ann M. Catino, Alan P. Curto and Richard Roberts, Halloran Sage LLP, counsel for the Town of Plainfield, letter of September 17, 2026, “Town of Plainfield Request for Party/Intervenor Status and CEPA Intervenor Status”: “In response to your request of September 2, 2026, during a regular meeting held on September 17, 2026, pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) §4-177a, §16-50n, and §22a-19, the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) granted party status and CEPA Intervenor status in Petition No. 1719 to the Town of Plainfield with the condition that in accordance with CGS §4-176(i), the Town of Plainfield submit written agreement to extend the final decision deadline in this proceeding to August 2, 2027 to the Council and the service list no later than September 24, 2026.” Encloses the Council’s Information Guide to Party and Intervenor Status. The service list of September 17, 2026 lists the Town of Plainfield as “Party and CEPA Intervenor (granted 09/17/26).” portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  18. Connecticut Siting Council, Revised Schedule, Petition No. 1719, revised October 1, 2026 (earlier revisions of September 18 and September 24 added the Council’s interrogatories to the Town, due October 9, and the August 2, 2027 extended decision deadline). Council interrogatories to SMART: issued September 14, responses due October 5, “responses due w/ extension” October 15, 2026; Council interrogatories to the Town: issued September 18, responses due October 9, with extension October 15, 2026; pre-hearing conference September 30; exchange of interrogatories among parties and intervenors October 1; state agency comments, municipal comments, pre-filed testimony and responses to interrogatories, and requests for party or intervenor status all October 15; public hearing October 22 (2:00 pm evidentiary, 6:30 pm public comment); continued sessions, close of record, briefs, close of comment period and draft findings TBD; deadline for final decision February 3, 2027; “Extension of Deadline for Final Decision Pursuant to CGS §4-176(i) with agreement from Parties and Intervenors 08/02/2027.” portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  19. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie A. Bachman) to the Service List, Pre-Hearing Conference notice of September 23, 2026 (15 pages): conference by Zoom on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:00 am, with the attached Procedure for October 22, 2026 Public Hearing and an administrative notice list. The procedure states that at least ten days before the hearing the petitioner “shall erect and maintain” a sign of not less than six feet by four feet along a public road near the site, showing the petitioner, the type of facility, the hearing date and the Council’s contact information, not to be removed until the evening public comment session begins; that “the Council does not allow direct testimony at the public hearing” (cases are made in pre-filed testimony and tested by cross-examination); that at 6:30 pm “public statements will be limited to 3 minutes” after a brief presentation by the petitioner from a site plan already in the record; that under RCSA §16-50j-15b any party or intervenor, including members of citizens groups that have attained that status, “may not submit oral or written limited appearance statements”; that a verbatim transcript will be posted and “deposited with the Plainfield Town Clerk’s Office”; that members of the public may file written statements “within 30 days after the close of the evidentiary record”; and that deadlines for briefs, findings and written statements “will be final and no extensions will be granted.” portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)
  20. Connecticut Siting Council (Melanie A. Bachman, Executive Director) to Ann M. Catino, Alan P. Curto and Richard Roberts, Halloran Sage LLP, counsel for the Town of Plainfield, letter of October 2, 2026, with the staff report of October 1, 2026 (8 pages): “At a regular meeting held on October 1, 2026, the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) denied the Town of Plainfield’s September 2, 2026 Request for a Certificate Proceeding and Motion to Dismiss in the above-referenced matter, on the basis that the proposed trash-to-energy electric generating facility was properly filed as a petition for a declaratory ruling under CGS §16-50k(a) and the petition for a declaratory ruling is sufficient under environmental justice statutes.” The staff report reasons that complexity “does not dictate” the route, that “legislative changes to CGS §16-50k(a) since 1990 require the Council to approve certain electric generating facilities by declaratory ruling,” including distributed resource facilities of 65 MW or less using renewable sources “such as anaerobic digestion and trash”; that a DEEP air- and water-quality determination “is not a prerequisite” to evaluating a petition (citing FairwindCT v. Siting Council, 2014); that the Town’s reading of Not Another Power Plant “ignores the context”; that under CGS 4-176(g) a hearing on a petition carries the contested-case rules on discovery, exhibits and cross-examination; that “the Council will balance the public benefit of the facility at the lowest reasonable cost to consumers with the effects on the environment and ecology of the state”; and, on environmental justice, that the Town “is an environmental justice community,” the plant “is an affecting facility,” and Exhibit Q’s June 23, 2025 DEEP approval of the public participation plan “is compliant with environmental justice statutes.” The letter does not record a vote count. portal.ct.gov/csc (PDF)

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