Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment

Mark your calendar now and plan to spend an hour or so to make our streets litter free. Sponsored by the Caudatawa Garden Club in conjunction with Parks and Rec, Highway and Public Works Dept, Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission and the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce. See the Rid Litter Day flier for how to participate.

The towns are Norwalk, Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield and Danbury.
The vision is a scenic, 27 mile route for cyclists, hikers, and walkers  running from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, Connecticut, north to Danbury, Connecticut. The proposed NRVT will connect to rail stations, schools and offices, offering clean, green transportation as well as recreational opportunities.
For the latest information on this project-in-process and how you can help, see the Norwalk River Valley Trail website or their facebook page.

_The NRWA is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to improve the water quality and aesthetic value of the Norwalk River's 40 thousand-acre watershed; to encourage the recreational use of existing trails and open space; and to promote research, education, cooperation and action by stakeholders in the seven watershed towns: Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, New Canaan, Weston, Norwalk and Lewisboro (NY).

Volunteer  positions include  River Rangers, River Study Adult Training Coordinator, Hike Leaders, Kayak/Canoe Leaders, Trail Workers, Board Members, Grant Writers, Environmental or Website Writers, Graphic Designers, Gardeners, Scientists and more!  Contact info@norwalkriver.org.

On Friday, due to the efforts of the RACE Electric Vehicle Subcommittee (and strong support from the First Selectman’s Office), the Town of Ridgefield became the first (we believe) municipality in Fairfield County to apply for a grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation Clean Fuel Program. Only a handful of municipalities in the remainder of the state are believed to have applied.

The grant, if awarded (we’ll know by June 1st), will pay the difference between replacing the Ridgefield Police Animal Control Vehicle with a conventional van (@~$39,000) and replacing it with an all-electric eStar van made in Illinois by Navistar (parent company of International Truck;http://www.estar-ev.com/; @~$178,000) – in other words, a grant of about $139,000 (from Federal funds).

We believe this is the perfect opportunity for Ridgefield to lead by example with respect to electric vehicles. The Animal Control Vehicle has an average use of 3,800-5,000 miles per year, with daily usage expected at no more than 30-50 miles. The eStar has a range of between 100-120 miles per charge (better range on warmer days), with a 6-8 hr recharge time from empty. Our hope is that during some of the vehicle’s many down-time hours, Ridgefield will take advantage of the vehicle to promote electric vehicle education to Town, and even County, schools and organizations.

We are cautiously optimistic that an approval of the grant application will lead to acquisition of an electric vehicle – there would still be hurdles to overcome. We will keep you updated as we know more…

Submitted by Carson Fincham of RACE

 The largest item approved by the Board of Finance last night, April 5th, was a $1.5 million project to improve the energy efficiency of lighting and weatherization at the schools and town buildings. Guarantees are set in place for the project to pay for itself in reduced energy costs within less than eight years. The board approved the project unanimously. See the Patch article.

Ridgefield is an Anti-Idling community. 
Please remember to turn off your motor while waiting in your vehicle.
Thanks you!