Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

train passing wetlands

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITOR
The official site for project information under
the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act

December 2, 2008
Scoping Notices
 
    1. New Haven - Hartford - Springfield Commuter Rail Improvements
Environmental Impact Evaluations
  
   1. Hammonasset Beach Erosion Study - Madison. 
   2. Madison Shore Line East Railroad Station - Madison
State Land Transfers
  
   There are no state land transfers posted for public notice or comment in this edition.
The next issue will be published on December 16, 2008.
Subscribe to e-alerts to receive an e-mail when The Environmental Monitor is published.
Scoping Notices
Scoping Notices have been issued for the following state projects.  These projects are in the earliest stages of planning.  At the scoping stage, detailed information on a project's design, alternatives, and environmental impacts does not yet exist.  Sponsoring agencies are asking for comments from other agencies and from the public as to the scope of alternatives and environmental impacts that should be considered for further study.  Send your comments to the contact person listed for the project by the date indicated.
 

1. Notice of Scoping for the  New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Improvements

Municipalities where proposed project might be located: New Haven, North Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Newington, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks, Enfield, Longmeadow, MA, and Springfield, MA.

Project Description: The proposed improvements include a Start Up Service as proposed in the Final Report of the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study, June 2005 and a Full Build Alternative.  The Start-up Service would include the following:

• Service would operate bi-directionally, Monday through Friday on a 30 minute peak hour schedule (at least 14 one-way trips).

• Service would be between New Haven and Springfield.

• A minimum of 18 miles of extended double track sections will be added to improve reliability and provide 30 minute headways meeting critical times in New Haven, Hartford and Springfield.

• Service would supplement existing Amtrak service on the corridor. Adjustments to Amtrak’s schedule would be attempted when possible in conjunction with operating agreements with Amtrak.

• Along with the existing nine passenger stations being served along this corridor, four additional stations would be added at North Haven, Newington, Hartford (Flatbush Avenue), and Enfield.

• The existing Windsor Locks station would be enhanced to provide facilities to accommodate a waiting area and transfers between the train and the shuttle bus to Bradley Airport.

• Local bus service will be modified to provide appropriate service to the stations.

• All stations would have high level platforms and grade-separated pedestrian facilities, considered to be necessary from an operational standpoint.

All stations would include high-level platforms, pedestrian amenities with grade separated crossings, bicycle storage and racks, and any additional parking required to accommodate projected ridership.

The Full Build Alternative would include:

• Double-track the remaining 20.6 miles of single track sections to improve reliability and allow service at least as frequent as every 15 minutes.

• Construct second high-level platforms and grade-separated pedestrian facilities at Wallingford , Berlin and Windsor Locks Stations. It is of note that these stations were on single-track segments in the start-up service and therefore only one platform and no grade-separated pedestrian facilities were necessary. With the additional double-tracking of the entire line, these elements would be necessary.

• Construct an additional station in the Wharton Brook area on the former Pratt and Whitney property as development takes place.

• Provide new commuter rail parking in the new Meriden parking structure to be constructed with downtown development plans in Meriden.

Project Map:  Click here to view a map of the project area.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:Thursday, January 15, 2009.

There will be four public scoping meetings for this project as follows:

DATE : Monday, December 8, 2008.

TIME : 6:00 PM

PLACE : TD Banknorth Conference Center , 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA.

DATE : Tuesday, December 9, 2008.

TIME : 6:00 PM

PLACE : Hartford Union Station, One Union Place, Hartford, CT.  

DATE : Thursday, December 11, 2008.

TIME : 6:00 PM

PLACE : Windsor Town Hall, 275 Broad Street, Windsor, CT.   

DATE : Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

TIME : 6:00 PM

PLACE : North Haven Memorial Library, 17 Elm Street, North Haven, CT.  

The Implementation Study, which is the basis for the EA/EIE may be viewed in person at the Connecticut Department of Transportation Headquarters in Newington, CT. or by clicking on the following link: http://www.nhhsrail.com/

Written comments throughout the scoping process should be sent to:

Name: Mr. Edgar T. Hurle - Transportation Planning Director
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Fax: 860-594-3377
E-Mail: Edgar.Hurle@po.state.ct.us

If you have questions about the public meetings, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact:

Name: Mr. Stephen V. Delpapa - Transportation Supervising Planner
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-2941
Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail: Stephen.Delpapa@po.state.ct.us

The agency expects to release an Draft Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, in the Fall of 2009.

EIE Notices
The following Environmental Impact Evaluations (EIE) have been completed by state agencies and are available for review and comment in this edition. 
 

1. Notice of EIE for the Hammonasset Beach Erosion Study

Municipality where project is proposed: Madison

Address of Project Location:  Hammonasset Beach State Park

Project Description: Hammonasset Beach State Park has suffered erosion in recent years, particularly at West Beach.This erosion has reduced the useable area of the beach and is threatening infrastructure.This EIE considers strategies to address this situation including no action, managed retreat of the beach with relocation of infrastructure, various offshore wave reduction or wave protection structures, and the proposed action of beach nourishment of 6,425 feet of West Beach from Tom’s Creek to the southeast, to a berm width of 100 feet and a berm height of 8 feet, with or without a terminal stone groin at the southeastern end of the nourished beach segment.

Project Maps:  Click here to view an aerial photo depicting major features of the state park.  Click here for a topographic map of the beach and surrounding area.

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on:  December 8, 2008

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:

   Department of Environmental 
   Protection
   State Parks Division
   79 Elm Street, 6th Floor
   Hartford, 06106

or at the

   Madison Town Library
   801 Boston Post Road
   Madison

or at the 

   Office of the Town Clerk
   8 Campus Drive
   Madison

The EIE can also be found online at the DEP website by clicking here.

There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on:

DATE: November 24, 2008

TIME: 7:00 - 9:00 PM

PLACE: Madison Memorial Town Hall, 10 School Street, Madison

NOTES: The Department of Environmental Protection is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. In conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) individuals with disabilities who need information in an alternative format, to allow them to benefit and/or participate in the agency’s programs and services, should call TDD (860) 424-3704 and make their request to the receptionist.  Requests for accommodations to attend meetings sponsored by the DEP must be made at least two weeks prior to the program date.  Madison Memorial Town Hall is ADA accessible.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Tammy Talbot
Agency: Department of Environmental Protection
State Parks Division
Address: 79 Elm Street, 6th Fl.
Hartford, Conn.  06106
Phone: (860) 424-3199
Fax: (860) 424-4070
E-Mail:

If you have questions about the public hearing, or where you can review this EIE, or similar matters, please contact Ms. Talbot as directed above.

2. Notice of EIE for the Madison Shore Line East

Railroad Station

Municipality where project is proposed: Madison, CT

Address of Possible Project Location: Bradley Road, Madison, CT

Project Description: Infrastructure improvements to the Madison Shore Line East (SLE)Railroad Station including a new north-side high level rail platform, a new pedestrian bridge over the active rail line connecting the north-side and south-side platforms, and a new three-level parking garage to accommodate a total of 585 parking spaces.  The project is intended to provide a full-service dual-platform commuter rail station and to provide expanded parking to accommodate future commuters with increasing SLE ridership.

Project Map:   Click here to view the site location

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on : January 2, 2009

The public can view a copy of this EIE at: The Madison Town Clerk’s Office, Town Campus, 8 Campus Drive, Madison, CT; The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library,  801 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT; The Connecticut Department of Transportation, 2800 Berlin Turnpike - Room 2155, Newington, CT; The South Central Regional Council of Governments, 127 Washington Avenue – 4th Floor-West, North Haven, CT .

There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on :  

DATE:   Thursday, December 18, 2008 

TIME:   7:00 pm

PLACE: Hammonasset Room at Town Campus, 8 Campus Drive, Madison, CT.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Edgar Hurle - Transportation Planning Director
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Edgar.Hurle@po.state.ct.us

If you have questions about the public hearing, where you can review this EIE, or similar matters, please contact :

Name: Jessica DiLuca - Transportation Planner II
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Jessica.DiLuca@po.state.ct.us
Phone: 860-594-2135

 
  
State Land Transfer Notices
There are no state land transfers posted for public notice or comment in this edition.
 
The Adobe Reader is necessary to view and print Adobe Acrobat documents, including some of the maps and illustrations that are linked to this publication. If you have an outdated version of Adobe Reader, it might cause pictures to display incompletely. To download up-to-date versions of the free software, click on the Get Acrobat button, below. This link will also provide information and instructions for downloading and installing the reader.

Button - Get Adobe Reader Download the free Acrobat Reader!
 

Access.Adobe is a tool that allows blind and visually impaired users to read any documents in Adobe PDF format.  For more information, go to Welcome to Access.Adobe.Com

Copyright 2006, Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality