As a concerned citizen, I urge you to act now regarding Bassick High School: 1) Require the City of Bridgeport to have a thorough Environmental Impact Study
(EIS) and provide it to the State; 2) Require a State Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) of the City's study and public noticing; 3) Convene public hearings in the impacted communities (South End & West End/West Side) - before releasing additional funding and allowing further construction of Bassick High School in a designated FEMA SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area) Zone AE.

Bassick students (mostly Black & Brown) deserve the best educational facility possible. The high school should not be built, for $100 Million CT taxpayer dollars, in a FEMA High Risk (100-year) Flood Plain - especially since the State did not require the City to submit an Environmental Impact Study (EIS), or require a State Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE). It costs more to build in flood plains; is this a responsible use of taxpayer dollars? School maintenance and repair costs are higher.

You need to protect the health and safety of Bassick students and staff; and protect nearby residents, structures, and the Long Island Sound. Urban schools in flood zones have significantly higher rates of asthma and respiratory disease. Residents risk increased flooding and property damage. Some Bassick sewage will go into old Combined Sewer Outflows. How much will end up in the Long Island Sound?

An EIS and EIE are usually required by the state before schools and public projects of this magnitude are cleared for construction in a "FEMA SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area) Zone AE" like this one. Why was this Bridgeport project different? Close all loopholes that allow state funding for new and major construction in flood zones without these measures.

Resilient Bridgeport's $35 Million, HUD-funded, flood hazard protection plan did not take this project into consideration since it was not proposed at that time. The hasty and uninformed siting of Bassick in this location is a threat to its efficacy. Was HUD's money wasted? Constructing this massive building and parking lot without the usual due diligence will have a decades-long impact on the South End, where dedicated residents participated in years of careful and complex community planning, Resilient Bridgeport, to deal with sea-level rise. Residents committed their time to learn best practices and help design flood hazard mitigation systems and infrastructure, important first steps. This area experienced the greatest storm surge from Superstorm Sandy in the state.

Building Bassick "tall" technically removes it from the floodplain, but does not address the impact of its construction on the surrounding streets and property beneath it. Bassick will be raised, streets blocked and dead-ended. Almost 1.5 acres of impervious cover will be added. Where will stormwater run-off and sewage go? How will flood patterns change? No environmental impact evaluation, no answer.

By placing the project on the Governor's "priority list," you let it proceed without the usual state safeguards or oversight. It is your responsibility to make this right. Ensure that Bridgeport residents receive the same level of due diligence and protection as other Connecticut communities. How does this square with environmental justice, social equity and climate priorities articulated by DEEP, legislators and the Governor's Office? Require an EIS, EIE, and hearings before the construction of Bassick goes any further.