Press Releases
09/02/2022
Attorney General Tong Applauds Second Circuit Decision in Dredging Case Vital to Connecticut Maritime Economy
Without Dredging, Groton Would Lose Ability to Launch and Build Submarines
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today applauded a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York in Rosado v. Pruitt upholding the lawful selection of the Eastern Long Island Sound Disposal Site for dredged materials.Connecticut intervened in the case, defending the site selection made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after exhaustive environmental review and public input. A judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York upheld the selection site in July 2020. New York subsequently appealed the decision. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit now affirmed the District Court decision.
“This is a full and complete victory for Connecticut’s maritime economy. Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue depend on the ability to dredge and safely deposit materials. The Eastern Long Island Sound site was selected after exhaustive review and public input, and any disposal of dredged materials will require full environmental review and compliance with Connecticut water quality standards. We hope that we can now bring this period of litigation to a close and finally begin this vital work,” said Attorney General Tong.
Long Island Sound dredging is crucial to Connecticut's maritime economy, with major employers and stakeholders including Electric Boat, the Connecticut Port Authority, the Connecticut Harbor Management Association, the Cross Sound Ferry and others all weighing in in support. The United States Army Corps of Engineers found that without dredging, the ability to launch and build submarines in Groton "would be eliminated."
In addition to the economic impact, failure to dredge would have a negative impact on the state's air and water quality. Diverting transport of fuel oil, gasoline and other bulk products away from our ports and onto our congested highways would increase air pollution. Failure to dredge also increases the risk of marine collisions and sinkings, with increased risk of oil spills. Any disposal of dredged materials will require a full review of environmental impacts and must comply with Connecticut's Water Quality Standards.
Former Assistant Attorney General Robert Snook and Deputy Associate Attorney General Matt Levine, Head of the Environment Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
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