hello fiberglass fellas. i am here to ask for your help in defending my local brook. i live in northeastern connecticut very close to roaring brook. currently, a truck stop company is seeking to build a 40 acre parcel that impacts the wetlands that feed roaring brook. they are proposing a septic system capable of handling 9000 gallons per day of wastewater. the system will treat the water and put it back into the ground roughly 120' from a particular wetland.

senior fisheries biologist brian murphy of the connecticut department of energy and environmental protection (DEEP) documented the build site per request of my town's conservation commission. he found native brook trout in the wetland that is currently threatened by the septic system.

of course, i already knew he'd find them there, since i often found them there myself.



i often fish this brook with a 6'6" #3 kabuto, or a 7' #4 kabuto.



its a really pretty place and you can find the stone foundation of a colonial mill off the brook. the mill is called eldredge brothers mill and it is recognized by the national historic register.



the truck stop build had lift locally in 2012 and 2013, but as often happens in the slow grind of bureaucracy the process stalled. i honestly thought that nothing would come of it, but i was wrong. i was lulled to sleep by no news, which i thought was good news. i was wrong. unfortunately, the project is beginning to attempt to move forward.

i decided that i would do what i could to put a stop to the project. i decided to use my voice to draw attention to what was going on and thus began a grassroots movement.

occasionally i contribute writing to my friend kierran's blog, the connecticut yankee. i wrote about the situation there. you can read what i had to say here:

http://kierran.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-fight-for-roaring-brook.html

i started a Facebook page to help inform, educate, and fight for the health of my local brook.

https://www.facebook.com/nectarfish10/

i began a petition on change.org too. it is directed at the hearing officer for the DEEP. would you fellas support my efforts and sign it?

https://www.change.org/p/janice-deshais-protect-roaring-brook-s-native-brook-trout-stop-development-of-love-s-travel-stop

finally, i'll be making a big move to restart a defunct chapter of TU. we in connecticut have one chapter that covers the eastern side of the state. as i am in northeastern ct it is difficult for me to join their ranks as they meet pretty far from my house and i have 2 young kids, full time job, all that crap.

there once was a natchaug chapter of TU but i believe it folded out of lack of membership. i intend to bring it back. to do so i will be in contact with TU and get the proper paperwork going. i haven't done this yet since the fact of the matter is that i am doing it. i will find out how to formalize things in due time. i have found that grass roots grow quick when placed in teh right soil.

i will be raising money for these efforts by way of an online auction. i have asked a few friends to help contribute. to this point i have an old phillipson blank orvis full flex #8. i also have a 7' #3 ijuin yomogi. i believe this rod was built by a site member but i am not positive. i have 2 local guides donating half day trips on the farmington river. i also have some bob white artwork. there will be some really nice prizes for anglers. the auction will be publicized on my Facebook page but if you don't have one and want to participate please send me a personal message.

i have written a high level pamphlet on the subject and published it at my local print shop. i've distributed it around town in our post office and library and will pass it out when i host a river clean up event on 4/14/18 off of village hill road in willington ct. this location is about an hour west of boston and can be found off of exit 70 off of route 84. i've got drake mag to throw in some stickers and my local fly shop, Jt's in union connecticut is helping with the effort as well.

we will be showing kids around the ecosystem and visiting an old mill site where the older kids will read fishing stories to the younger ones. i'll also be hosting a barbecue and social event afterwards since i live just up the road. if you want to come, please do. roaring brook flows into the willimantic river just south of the location. while i expect roaring brook to be quite crowded with anglers (opening day and all) the willimantic is considered a TMA and thus is fly fishing only. i feel there would be plenty of room to fish if you cared to do so. there are also a number of other local streams that i can direct you to if you'd like.

please help me help my local. i sincerely appreciate any support you can provide. thanks for your time.

chad

Please, all. Let's be sure to take this as a "news"/informational post and not swap into a politics/promotion mode, which is covered by the links and sources mentioned, or by private communication to the original poster as Char Hunter did.

Petition signed and shared on Facebook.