Two Connecticut legislators are proposing separate pieces of legislation to establish moratoriums on new installations of synthetic turf sports fields. The moratoriums are in response to the announcement earlier in January that the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection is spearheading a $245,000, 12-month study of the safety and environmental impact of artificial turf fields.
Westport State Representative Joe Mioli introduced a bill establishing an across-the-board moratorium on state and municipal spending, including public school spending, on new turf installations. His legislative colleague, Kim Fawcett restricts the moratorium to the use of state funding for the installations.
The Westport News, which has been reporting on a 2-year controversy over synthetic fields, said the two legislators will try to work out in committee the differences in their two proposals. Some residents in Westport, a city of 26,000 located on the Long Island Sound about 50 miles north of New York City, have adamantly opposed the construction of new synthetic sports fields there, citing safety concerns for young athletes, at least until further testing.
For a review of the synthetic turf controversy click on the following articles :
“Mioli and Fawcett call for turf moratorium,” by Frank Luongo, Westport News, Jan.9
“Artificial Turf Studied for Health and Environmental Risks,” by David Funkhouser, The Hartford Courant, Jan. 5
