Senator William H. Nickerson (R-Greenwich) voted in special session last night for a bill which significantly tightens the criteria which the Commissioner of Public Health must use in ruling on any proposed abandonments by water companies of reservoirs or other similar water sources. The bill was modeled on SB 465 which was adopted in regular session by the Senate but died on the House calendar.

Earlier in the regular session Nickerson supported SB 371, AN ACT CONCERNING WATER COMPANY LANDS, which increases from 25% to 90% the proportion of water company lands which must be set aside as open space in order for the Department of Public Utility Control to allocate proceeds of a land sale to inure to the benefit of the company shareholders, as opposed to the rate payers.

Both bills are now on the Governor's desk awaiting his signature.

Nickerson said, "I am delighted to support these two bills which are much needed measures to protect our water supply and discourage the sale of watershed lands for development. The bills are the product of two years of negotiations among all the parties involved. Together they represent crucial steps taken to recognize the special status enjoyed by watershed lands, most of which were purchased many years ago under threat of condemnation. We have now provided special restrictions on their use. Connecticut citizens can now be much more confident that water company supply abandonment proposals will be given very strict scrutiny and water company lands will be much less likely to be sold for commercial purposes."