Rep. Callahan Gives Update on Issues Around Candlewood Lake

There’s been a trend on Candlewood the last couple of years–something I’m calling Uber boating. It’s causing some issues and it’s not safe. People are using their boats to ferry others to the islands, and those people are then getting stuck there with no ride home. Emergency calls are made to come rescue them.

If you observe anyone ferrying passengers on the lake, please report it to the Candlewood Lake Authority.

While they’re out on places like Sand Island all day, people are leaving behind unsanitary conditions. These islands don’t have facilities, the vegetation has been destroyed, and generators are being used to amplify music.

Remember the unsanitary conditions that led to Blueberry Island being closed a few years ago? The leaders of the five towns that surround the lake, the CLA, DEEP, and FirstLight have been meeting and the towns decided to now close all 12 islands to public access due to health and safety concerns.

Candlewood is a power-generating facility and operations are licensed by FERC. For people asking for other solutions, I want to share that excessive fees can’t be charged, particularly on out-of-state users, at the launches because funding from U.S. Fish & Wildlife could be jeopardized.