Maria Horn

Here’s a list of today’s topics: 

• Road Closures & Diversions in Lakeville and Sharon. Click here.
• DOT Public Information Meeting in Goshen. Click here.
• What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace. Click here.
• Trees for Communities Grant Program. Click here.
• Connecticut Enacts Battery Recycling Law to Reduce Fire Risk and Improve Public Safety. Click here.
• Northwest Corner Events. Click here. 

On the weekend of June 27 and 28, Lime Rock Park will be hosting the LiUNA 150, a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race that is expected to draw thousands to the park.

Lime Rock Park has released a detailed traffic and parking plan in coordination with local authorities. Whether you’re attending the race or just going about your day in Lakeville or Sharon, please note that the following roads will be impacted, some becoming one-way roads between 10am and 1pm (westbound only) and again from 4pm-7pm (eastbound only):

• Route 7/112 Westbound: two westbound lanes past the Outfield Entrance to White Hollow Road
• White Hollow Road from Route 112: two southbound lanes up to Lights Field
• White Hollow Road from Caulkinstown Rd (Sharon): open to two-way traffic, but marked with “No Thru Traffic” signs
• Drivers from Route 112 Eastbound (Hotchkiss Corners) should detour using Route 41 North to Route 44 East to Route 126 East to Route 7. 

Please see the detailed maps for complete information on closures, detours, and event parking. 

CTDOT will conduct an in-person public informational meeting for the project will be held on Wednesday, July 30  at the Goshen Center School Gymnasium at 42 North Street in Goshen. An open forum for individual discussions with project staff will begin at 6:30 p.m., with a formal presentation following at 7:00 p.m.  The proposed improvements will require two sliver property acquisitions that will be used for the construction of the new roadway geometry and sidewalk. Minor rights and easements may also be required and will be added as the design develops. 

The National Immigration Law Center provides practical advice for addressing immigration-related actions in the workplace. 

This guide explains:

• The most common immigration actions affecting employers

• Recommendations for how employers can prepare

• Employers’ rights and responsibilities

• What employers can do after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action

Visit bit.ly/NILC_Guide to read the guide in its entirety.

On June 10, Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 5019 into law, establishing Public Act 25-34, a statewide extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for batteries. The law requires battery producers—not taxpayers—to fund and manage a system for collecting and recycling batteries sold in Connecticut, reducing fire risks, protecting workers, recovering valuable materials, and saving municipalities and taxpayers thousands of dollars.

Under Public Act 25-34 requires producers—via a battery stewardship organization—must:  

• Fund the battery recycling system. 
• Submit a state-approved battery collection and recycling plan to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for approval.
• Provide free and convenient drop-off locations statewide.
• Ensure safe handling, transport, and recycling of batteries, including damaged or defective units.
• Conduct a coordinated statewide public education and outreach program. 

Battery fires in the waste stream have caused damage, worker injuries, and operational challenges for local governments across the country. EPR laws like Connecticut’s help mitigate these risks while supporting the recovery of valuable and critical materials such as lithium, zinc, cobalt, and manganese.  The law adds to Connecticut’s strong record on product stewardship—it is the state’s seventh EPR law—and contributes to grow momentum among states for coordinated, producer-funded battery programs.