Residents of Freeman Road may have reason to breathe easier now that the U.S. Army has moved away from its original plan to locate a 31-to 45-acre Armed Forces Reserve Center there. Middletown residents remain concerned, however, since the Army is now investigating a total of nine sites—all within the city—for the planned facility.

The Army’s reconsideration comes after several parties, ranging from Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, to members of the Connecticut General Assembly and the Wesleyan Student Assembly, called for the Army to shift its focus from the Freeman Road property. It also follows the introduction of Proposed Connecticut House Bill No. 5063, introduced by Representative Gail K. Hamm, which would require the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide Middletown with the funds necessary to purchase the Freeman Road property.

Community leaders and residents opposed the Army’s original proposal due to the potential environmental impact on the Maromas region of town, a 16-square mile expanse of sparsely developed grasslands and forest. The region rare and endangered species of animals, breeding grounds for several species of birds.

According to Todd Hornback of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of April 10, the Army had not yet prioritized these sites. The original Freeman Road site is still included among those, but is not being actively pursued by the Army.

“It’s not the main site that the [Army] Reserve is looking at,” Hornback said.

While the Army Corps of Engineers would not release the locations of the sites, Hornback did say that they had been submitted to the Army by local officials.

“The sites are being compiled in a report under review by the Army Reserve and Base Realignment and Closure offices,” said the Army Corps of Engineers in a statement.

However, one local resident, who asked not to be named, said that she was given a list of the nine sites under consideration.

The list reportedly includes the Saybrook Road and River Road sites previously recommended by the City of Middletown. It is also said to include parcels on Bell Street and Boardman Lane, Middle Street, and Industrial Park Road—all of which are across Interstate 91, about four miles northwest of campus. The list reportedly also includes sites on Toll Gate Road and Aircraft Road, both of which are in the Maromas region of the city, roughly five miles southeast of campus.

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection also submitted a list of alternative sites to the Army, but all ten were rejected.

“They were not included in the nine sites that were looked at,” Hornback said. “The ones that were sent did not either [did not] have the acreage or the requirements for the Reserve.”

The Army’s goal is to narrow the list down to one site, at which point representatives from the Army will return to Middletown to host another public hearing, likely in May. However, after nearly three months without a public appearance by the Army Corps of Engineers, residents and environmental groups are once again waiting to hear where the Army plans to go next.

Even city officials are awaiting word from the Army about its plans.

“There’s nothing new on the Army base,” said Director of Planning, Conservation and Development for the City of Middletown Bill Warner. “There has been no news to the city that I’m aware of.”