Lawmakers propose creating special gas committee

NORWICH – Lawmakers have proposed creating a special government committee that would serve as a clearing house of information about natural gas exploration activity in the county.

Supervisor James J. McNeil, R-City of Norwich, was unanimously joined by fellow Planning & Economic Development Committee members Tuesday in passing such a resolution onto the full Board of Supervisors for consideration next month.

“I hate to say anything that would actually form a separate level of government, but everything is happening so fast and people need information,” he said.

David J. Messineo, the supervisor of Otselic, said that a single source of information was needed for his town’s constituents. “I need someone I can work through to find out what the going prices are and what other towns are doing.” Town of New Berlin Supervisor Ross Iannello said he knew of a landowner who was offered a lease amounting to less than $2 an acre.