IMPACTS OF BROOKFIELD COMPRESSOR STATION EXPANSION & MORE

 

AIR QUALITY: The American Lung Association gives Fairfield County an F for air quality in its 2025 State of the Air Report. Brookfield is situated in Fairfield County, which has been designated by the EPA as a severe nonattainment area for ozone pollution—with the largest factor being NOx emissions. An assessment of potential health impacts from carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and other pollutants is outlined in this 2024 study. The compressor station expansion would add at least 25 tons per year of new NOx emissions.

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HEALTH & SAFETY: Due to the serious health and safety risks, experts recommend compressors stay at least 1.8 miles away from occupied buildings. The proposed Brookfield expansion is located within 1,900 feet of the middle school and within a mile of 800 residential buildings, home to 2,000 residents.

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When it was built in the 1990s, the pipeline company took shortcuts and committed numerous violations of federal law, leading to historically high fines that at the time were second only to those associated with the notorious Exxon spill. These violations put the pipeline at even greater risk of rupture or explosion, the consequences of which can be extremely dangerous.

 

CLIMATE: If permitted, the pipeline expansion proposal will double the capacity of the existing system that runs through New York and Connecticut to receive an additional 125 million cubic feet of methane gas per day, adding 859,000 tons of carbon dioxide and co-pollutants annually–equivalent to adding 186,000 cars to the roads.

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More climate pollution is in direct conflict with Connecticut’s state mandated greenhouse gas emission reduction law that requires a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050 below 2001 levels.

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MORE GAS IS NOT NEEDED: Gas demand in New York, where the pipeline terminates, is expected to peak in 2027, then steadily decline. Furthermore, New York state and local measures to reduce gas demand are in place which contribute to this expected decline.

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VIDEO FOOTAGE: In December 2024, Physicians for Social Responsibility visited the Brookfield Compressor Station to record footage using a high sensitivity FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) OGI (Optical Gas Imaging) camera. Footage from the camera shows large plumes of hot gases with uncombusted hydrocarbons being exhausted from the facility and into the community. View footage here.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS FINDS THE PERMIT SHOULD BE REJECTED: Expert analysis of the permit application shows that the equipment proposed will exceed  NOx emission limits. View letter here.

 

RAISE YOUR VOICE! 

 

Calls and emails to Governor Lamont and DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes are needed to stop the methane pipeline compressor station expansion in Brookfield. Below is contact information and a sample script. Your calls and emails will make a difference!

 

CONTACT INFO

Governor Ned Lamont: 860-566-4840, governor.lamont@ct.gov

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes: 860-424-3001, katie.dykes@ct.gov

 

SAMPLE SCRIPT

Hello,

 

I’m contacting you because I’m deeply concerned about the proposal to more than double the size of the methane gas pipeline compressor station in Brookfield. The facility, which is located just 1900 feet from a middle school, already emits dangerous toxins and poses a serious safety risk. It also emits large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

DEEP now has a permit before them to add 2 new turbines at the facility that will increase greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. I urge Governor Lamont and DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes to protect our air and our climate. Please REJECT the proposed Brookfield compressor station permit.

 

Samantha Dynowski

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Samantha Dynowski is State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut.