To the Editor:

When Newtowners are asked why they love living here, we say we love our beautiful woods, meadows and marshes. So why on earth would the Legislative Council be considering repealing the bans on fracking waste and single use plastic bags?

Although there are similar state statutes, Newtown’s ordinances are stronger and more protective. Our fracking waste ban, which the Legislative Council passed unanimously in 2018, includes a requirement that contractors sign a statement saying they won’t use any fracking waste in the work they do for our town, and also includes penalties for infractions. Many of us get our water from wells; do we really want to run the risk of having hazardous fracking waste seeping into our water?

Newtown’s carefully researched ban on single use plastic bags is also stronger than the state statute. We prohibit thicker plastic bags, which also end up being discarded, and we impose a 10 cent charge for paper bags, which also have a major environmental cost. This ordinance has been a remarkable success. Just as we’ve continued to patronize Costco even though they don’t bag what we buy, so have Newtown shoppers and businesses adjusted to reusable bags.

Do we really want to go back to having unsightly discarded bags lining our streets and in our woods and swamps?

There’s no reason to repeal these 2 ordinances. They both offer added protection for us and for the green spaces we love. Please tell the Legislative Council: Don’t put our beautiful town at risk! Don’t repeal the fracking waste and plastic bag ban ordinances!

Betsy Litt

Newtown