Resident Offers Expertise, Helping Hand To Both Town & Grassroots Group

By Kendra Bobowick

“I’ve been following it in the paper and I thought I needed to get involved,” said resident Gina Wolfman. She has recently extended her help as an advisor to the Hawleyville Environmental Action Team (HEAT), and contributed thoughts on a draft noise ordinance for Newtown as it pertains to the group’s efforts and the town.

“I am very supportive of what [HEAT] is doing,” she said, also noting her friends who had referred her to the group.

A Hawleyville resident for 13 years, Ms Wolfman said recently, “I feel it’s my responsibility as a resident to provide assistance.” She brings a “new voice,” to topics, especially “what’s happening down the road from me.” Down the road from her is the Housatonic Railroad transfer station at 30 Hawleyville Road, which has an application before the Department of Environmental Protection regarding its transfer station and possible expansions that have most recently prompted the town to issue wetlands violations and demand a permit, among other opposition.

“I feel I can contribute something,” Ms Wolfman explained. She provided a list of credentials to both HEAT and the Legislative Council at a meeting earlier this month. Ms Wolfman’s academic and professional background includes a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, a certificate in environmental law and more than 16 years combined experience in the environmental consulting, engineering, and land use planning fields.

Ms Wolfman is a member of the New York Bar and currently works as an environmental planning consultant. She has established a solid foundation in the following areas: environmental impact analysis; site assessment; regulatory compliance and permitting; site and redevelopment/reuse planning; and municipal planning.

She has acted as field team leader for various environmental sampling and monitoring programs, has provided support on wetland delineations and mitigation planning, wildlife/natural resource inventories and fish tissue sampling efforts, and has performed other affiliated duties.

“I know I can help the town with the noise ordinance and HEAT,” she said recently. In a follow-up email she added, “I’ve worked with many neighborhood groups as an environmental planner…”

In some respects the noise ordinance would address areas of work taking place at the transfer station pertaining to heavy machinery, truck deliveries, construction, and maneuvering and loading train cars. In a letter she presented to the Legislative Council, Ms Wolfman makes several suggestions regarding the proposed noise ordinance and how it might pertain to activities at the railroad’s transfer station. Her letter clarifies, “Add [to] the definition of ‘Construction’ a new definition — ‘Construction Related and Heavy Machinery’ — Equipment or heavy machinery that is used for construction, demolition, loading and offloading of materials, including but not limited to excavators, bulldozers, backhoes, pile drivers, pneumatic tools, air compressors, track loaders, wheel loaders, and volume reduction equipment.”

Her suggestions are not meant for the transfer facility alone. “This would also apply to Batchelder and industrial properties around town,” she said regarding future industrial uses for properties.

Thinking of town residents and officials striving to make Newtown a better place to live, Ms Wolfman sees common goals, “To maintain and preserve the public health, environment, welfare, and safety.”

Pertaining to the HEAT organization, she believes the grass-roots group has a special leverage. “[HEAT] is valuable in keeping the public aware and keeping in contact with officials who have some pull.” (See related story.) HEAT can “be effective and complimentary, offering valuable support to the town while keeping the issues in front of the public. With enforcement agencies already watching, the grass-roots group also has a “definite role to play.”

In a later email Ms Wolfman added, “From my experience, I believe that citizens’ groups and community activists are most effective when they’re focused on the interests of the group…” As far as the railroad’s application before the DEP, wetlands violations, etc, Ms Wolfman understands, “It is complicated and will have to play out in the court system.”

Council member John Aurelia said this week that the draft ordinance is still in progress, and currently council member and attorney Fran Pennarola is making revisions — some of which are similar to Ms Wolfman’s suggestions. The draft must go to the DEP for approval, return to the town, and eventually see a town vote before the ordinance is enacted.

“We hope to have the ordinance [in effect] this year,” Mr Aurelia said.