The budget language up for votes in the Senate and House today includes provisions for the state to take over Connecticut’s deep-water harbors, including Bridgeport, (Pleasure Beach photo by Dixon) with an overall state Harbormaster appointed by the governor, under a newly configured, quasi-public Connecticut Port Authority. Here’s the budget language:
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(a) The harbor master shall have the general care and supervision of Bridgeport Harbor and its tidewaters and its rivers and of all the flats and lands flowed thereby, and all other tidewaters, flats and rivers which are within the city limits of said city but are not adjacent to said harbor in order to limit, prevent and abate sources of water pollution, to prevent or remove any unauthorized encroachment and other obstruction which is likely to interfere with the full navigation of said harbor, or in any way injure its channels or cause any reduction in its tidewaters, or prevent, abate or remove any unauthorized landfills upon or affecting the tidewaters located within the city limits of Bridgeport. The harbor master shall exercise his responsibility in a manner consistent with any harbor management plan for the Bridgeport Harbor adopted pursuant to section 22a-113m”