House
Republican Press Release
June 13,
2008
Press
Office: 860-240-8700
Rep. Noujaim: Incident Resulted in Soil Erosion. Noise Pollution
Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal today announced a lawsuit against a billboard company that illegally
cleared 83 mature trees on state property along Interstate 84 in order to
maximize visibility of its billboard.
The clear cutting incident has
caused soil erosion and noise pollution problems, said state Representative
Selim Noujaim, R-Waterbury, who represents area families who have been
adversely affected by the loss of the trees.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of
the Department of Transportation (DOT), names Lamar Advertising of Hartford and related companies, and Long Hill Tree and Lawn Care Service, Inc. of East Hartford
Lamar, through Long Hill,
cleared the 83 trees from state-owned property, decimating a vital buffer
between nearby residences and I-84, and natural aesthetic beauty along a public
highway -- damage that will take several years to repair, Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal’s lawsuit seeks money
damages for the restoration of property.
“Here’s a billboard-sized
warning: destroying precious environmental resources and defying state law
means strong legal sanction,” Blumenthal said. “This billboard company violated
clear law when it clear cut 83 mature trees on state property. Lamar’s
unconscionable disregard decimated a vital buffer between nearby homes and a major
interstate highway. Repairing this needless environmental and aesthetic harm
will require years and resources.”
“The trees that were clear cut
were more than 85 years old and had been planted by the grandfather of several
families who live in the area. They formed a barrier that dampened highway
noise and helped protect topsoil from erosion. The trees were cut down
mercilessly, and branches and stumps were left on the ground. The entire area
looked as if it had been hit by a tornado,” Representative Noujaim said. “The
company responsible for this unauthorized and malicious act failed to adhere to
the terms of the permit it received from the state Department of Transportation
and cut down the trees without permission from the property owners. Justice must
be done to compensate both the families and to repair the damage to the
environment.”
On Feb. 7, 2007, Lamar sought a
DOT permit to “trim and remove undesirable growth” along I-84 in Waterbury,
within the right of way of the state, approximately .3 mile west of Austin
Road, Waterbury. The request was intended to increase visibility of the
billboard.
Later that month, the DOT issued
a permit stipulating that Lamar was only to trim -- and not remove -- any
trees.
On March 15, 2007, Long Hill -- hired by Lamar -- cleared
shrubs and trees well beyond the limits of its authorized location, destroying
various species of trees, including oak, spruce, maple, birch, poplar and
hickory of varying sizes ranging from three to 37 inches in diameter.
