By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — Iroquois Gas Transmission System of Shelton plans to break ground this spring on its $40 million compressor station off Oronoque Road as the Planning and Zoning Board approved the project.
The new compressor station will “add significantly to our grand list and our tax rolls,” said Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr.
City Planner David Sulkis said the PZB’s approval Tuesday night was for an infrastructure upgrade to an existing structure on Oronoque Road. The compressor station will allow gas to travel through an existing gas line.
“Any time the utilities upgrade facilities it’s nice tax revenue for the city,” Sulkis said.
Iroquois officials said the compressor station would be on 4.8 acres the company owns across from the city transfer station. The project includes construction of three buildings. Two buildings, 45 by feet by 60 feet, will be constructed for the compressor unit; the third is an office building.
Iroquois officials said the new energy source would go to its Long Island market, specifically Suffolk County.
Iroquois spokeswoman Ruth Parkins said construction will begin in April or May. Parkins said the goal is to have the compressor station completed by Jan. 1. 2009
She also credited the PZB members for being very helpful during the process.
PZB Chairwoman Jean Cervin, D-3, said the board basically had no choice but to approve the application because it had already been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. But Cervin also said questions concerning noise and pollution were addressed.