Malloy Likely to Sign Bill Containing Land Swap Measure

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will likely sign into law the Haddam land swap measure approved last week by the General Assembly.

So says state Rep. Phil Miller, D-Essex, who opposes the land swap idea. Miller today said there’s little chance the legislature’s approval of the measure will be overturned by Malloy because it is contained in a larger land conveyance bill over which the governor does not have line-item veto power. 

Malloy is not likely to veto the conveyance bill, Miller said, because it contains numerous important state land transfers in other towns.

“I don’t think it looks very likely” that it will be rejected, he said.

When asked about the governor’s position on the bill and when or if he will sign it, a spokesman in Malloy’s office today said, “The governor and his counsel are reviewing the final language that was in the approved bill.”

Opponents of the swap have been emailing and phoning the governor’s office, lobbying him to overturn the measure. The group Citizens for the Protection of Public Land, which formed to oppose the swap, also is considering asking state Attorney General George Jepsen to review it. A group leader says the plan to swap the17.4 acres of state-owned land near the Connecticut River for 87 acres abutting the Cockaponset State Forest in Haddam is similar to a proposal in New Britain to take part of the city-owned Stanley Park for a proposed Costco store. The river land would be given to the partners of the Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station for a proposed retail development.

Jepsen recently announced that he intends to review the Stanley Park proposal to see if it would violate the deed that was in place when the land was donated to the city.

Opponents of the Haddam land swap have argued that the 17.4 acres was sold to the state as conservation land and should remain in conservation.

In a written statement released today, Riverhouse partner Trevor Furrer said “We promise to redouble our commitment of working closely with the community - as well all oversight and regulatory agencies - to ensure the project benefits everyone; environmentalists, the tourism industry, and municipal and state governments.”

If Malloy approves the bill the land swap measure would have to go through a lengthy review process before the Riverhouse partners, who want to build retail and other associated developments on the land, could move forward with their plans.

A new appraisal would need to be undertaken of the property and local zoning measures would also need to be enacted.