Did you know that Old Saybrook has been especially active with its climate resiliency efforts and was one of the first shoreline towns to create a Sea Level Rise & Climate Adaptation Committee?

Forty years ago, when Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection concluded that our beach area septic systems were adding to pollution in Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook created the Old Saybrook Water Pollution Control Authority. Over the last decade, the town’s actions have resulted in the construction of nearly 1k health code compliant septic systems, with approximately 500 properties yet to be rectified– showing progress far greater than any of our neighboring shoreline towns.

Old Saybrook has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since July 1978–a program that provides insurance to help reduce the socio-economic impact of floods. Participation in NFIP is critical for a town like Old Saybrook that borders both the Connecticut River and the Sound.

During super storm Sandy and hurricane Irene, not one flood-compliant structure was destroyed. Old Saybrook permits construction of flood-compliant structures but has higher standards for flood-compliant buildings than surrounding towns.

In 2018, the Old Saybrook Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Study was completed to: characterize the coastal flood hazards, including sea level rise; evaluate the town's coastal flood vulnerability and risk; inform and educate town professionals and residents about sea level rise and coastal flooding; evaluate different coastal flood mitigation plans; and, recommend actions to implement coastal resilience and adaptation measures.

It’s this type of forward-thinking and risk management planning that we can ascribe to our Republican-led town. So please vote Republican this fall. Let’s keep our town running responsibly, effectively and efficiently!

Laura A. Gregory

Old Saybrook