Projects

to support training 3 municipal department of public works crews in stormwater pollution prevention using Lunch and Learn sessions and to support investigating the lower Quinnipiac River public access potential at two locations: Lowe's on Route 80 in New Haven and behind Toelles Road businesses in Wallingford, adjacent to Quinnipiac River State Park. Mill River Watershed Association of South Central Connecticut, Inc. is acting as the fiscal sponsor.

to support An Urban Wildlife Refuge in Fair Haven: Community-based land stewardship to benefit wildlife and waterways project in partnership with Audubon Connecticut, community greenspace groups and the local business community.

to support installing and improving public access to the Quinnipiac River in conjunction with Phase III of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Project in collaboration with the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee.

to support the costs of an informational kiosk for Fireworks Island which is included in Phase III of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail in Wallingford.

To support the research of private property land titles and negotiating easements with property owners to allow sections of the trail to pass through their land.

To support wetland mapping and surveying services which are critical components to acquiring easements from private property owners along the proposed trail route on the eastern banks of the Quinnipiac River in North Haven.

Funds are requested to support implementation of informational and educational efforts and activities advocating for pesticide use reduction. These efforts will focus on the 80 property owners whose properties abut the Quinnipiac River in Plainville, CT. The activities will include 2 river clean-ups, coordination of a fishing derby, Earth Day Extravaganza, promotion and advocacy of Freedom Lawn Initiative, and a Tomasso Nature Park clean-up. (see grant notes)

To support the creation and development of the Organic Land and Turf Handbook for school, municipal, and commercial groundskeepsers to manage lawns and turf without the use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

To support funding for two aspects of the Quinnipiac River Conservation and Development corridor Project.  RPG will develop an inter-municipal agreement between the three lower river communities that will include land-use guidelines and a tax sharing agreement.

To establish a trail route and to construct a pedestrian bridge over the Quinnipiac River for phase three of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail which includes the construction of two pedestrian bridges, one on the east side of the island and the second to cross the raceway on the west side of the island.