Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

train passing wetlands

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

September 7, 2010
 
   There are no Scoping Notices for review and comment in this edition.
  
   The following Environmental Impact Evaluations have been submitted for for review or comment. 
      1) NEW! Land Lease for New Hangar Facility at the Waterbury-Oxford Airport
      2) NEW! Bristol Depot Square Redevelopment
  STEP I - Notices of Intent to Transfer Property. 
      
      1) NEW! Town of Enfield, Easement
      2) NEW! Town of Vernon, Easement
    

   STEP II - Public comments regarding proposed transfers that were posted previously in the Environmental Monitor, and the Office of Policy and Management's (OPM's) responses to those comments.  None in this edition.

                   

   STEP III - Draft recommendations of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection regarding preservation of properties proposed for transfer.  None in this edition. 

     

   STEP IV - Final recommendations of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection regarding disposition of properties proposed for transfer, along with comments and responses from Step III.  None in this edition.

       

   STEP V - Final determinations by the Secretary of OPM regarding the ultimate disposition of properties proposed for transfer.  None in this edition.

The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on September 21, 2010.
 
Subscribe to e-alerts to receive an e-mail when The Environmental Monitor is published.
There are no Scoping Notices for review and comment in this edition.
"Scoping" is for projects 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.
 
The following Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) notices are submitted for review and comment in this edition.
 

1) Notice of EIE for: Land Lease for a New Hangar Facility at the Waterbury-Oxford Airport

Address of Possible Project Location:  300 Christian Street, Oxford

Project Description:  The project consists of the construction of a hangar and office space building with a footprint of 206,000 square feet on the southeastern side of the Waterbury Oxford Airport parallel to Runway 36.   The building will be constructed as a certified LEED® Building including the use of solar energy and geothermal heating.

Project Maps:    Click here to view an aerial photo of the project area

                              Click here to view a map of the project  area

                              Click here to view a detailed map of the project area

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on October 27, 2010.

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:

*        The Town of Oxford Town Clerk’s Office - 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478-1298

*        The Oxford Public Library - 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478

*        The Town of Middlebury Town Clerks Office - 1212 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, CT 06762

*        The Middlebury Public Library - 30 Crest Road Middlebury, CT 06762

*        The Connecticut Department of Transportation - 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Room 2155, Newington, CT 06131

*        The Central Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments -  60 North Main Street Third Floor,  Waterbury, CT 06702

*        The Connecticut State Library - 231 Capitol Avenue, 

          Hartford, CT 06106. 

There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on:

DATE:   Wednesday October 13, 2010

TIME:   7:00 pm

PLACE: Oxford High School, 61 Quaker Farms Road       

NOTES: This document was prepared pursuant to the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, Sections 22a-1a-1 to 12, inclusive and was originally published on October 30, 2009.  The Department is proceeding with the CEPA document pursuant to Section 1 of Public Act 10-120.  The information contained in the document is still current and accurate.Deaf and hearing impaired persons wishing to attend this hearing and requiring an interpreter must make arrangements by contacting the Department of Transportation's Office of Communications(Voice only) at (860) 594-3062, TTY at 860-594-3090 at least five working days prior to the hearing.  CTDOT Representatives will be at this location at 6:00 pm to answer any questions.

This document may be found online at:    https://www.ct.gov/environmentaldocuments

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Mr. Mark Alexander - Transportation Assistant Planning Director
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Mark.W.Alexander@ct.gov

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

Name: Mr. Keith T. Hall - Transportation Supervising Planner
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike - Room 2155 Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Keith.Hall@ct.gov
Phone: 860-594-2926

 

2. Notice of EIE for Bristol Depot Square Redevelopment Project

Municipality where project is proposed:  Bristol

Address of Possible Project Location:  100 North Main Street, Bristol

Project Description: The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development has prepared the Environmental Impact Evaluation for the Bristol Depot Square Redevelopment Project.  The project site is an approximately 17-acre parcel located in downtown Bristol.  The site is bordered to the west by North Main Street, to the south by Riverside Avenue, to the east by the Boston and Maine Railroad, and to the north by a small commercial parcel currently occupied by a Dunkin Donuts.  The site was the location of the approximately 200,000 SF Bristol Centre Mall, which was demolished in 2008, and currently contains a detached 18,000 SF building occupied by the Bristol Discount Food Outlet. 

The proposed action consists of a mixed-use redevelopment of the 17-acre parcel known as Depot Square in Downtown Bristol.  The current master plan concept for Depot Sqaure, which will be refined through the planning and development process, includes the following major elements:  750 Residential Units, 60,000 SF of retail, 50,000 SF of office space, a 100-room hotel, 220,000 SF of urban open space, and 1,550 parking spaces.

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

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on:  October 22, 2010

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:                

·        City Clerk’s Office, 111 North Main Street, City Hall, Bristol, CT 06010

·        Bristol Public Library, 5 High Street, Bristol, CT 06010

·        Bristol Downtown Development Corporation, 111 North Main Street, Bristol, CT 06010

·        DECD, 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106

·        City of Bristol website – www.ci.bristol.ct.us

·        DECD website – www.ct.gov/ecd

      There is no public hearing scheduled for this Draft EIE:  DECD will hold a public hearing if twenty-five persons or an association having not less than twenty-five persons requests such a hearing by September 17, 2010.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Nelson Tereso
Agency: Department of Economic & Community Development
Address:
505 Hudson Street Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 
Fax:
(860) 270-8213
(860) 270-8157
E-Mail: nelson.g.tereso@ct.gov

State Land Transfer Notices


Connecticut General Statutes Section 4b-47 provides for public notice of proposed transfers of state-owned lands out of state ownership. The notice process takes place in steps. Step I is the notice of intent to transfer, which includes an opportunity for any person to comment. If comments are received, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) will respond, and the comments and responses will be published as Step II.

The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may choose to evaluate the property more thoroughly and recommend preservation of the property or restrictions on the transfer. Step III is publication of the Commissioner's report and draft recommendations, and includes a 30-day public comment period. Step IV is publication of the Commissioner’s responses to any public comments along with the Commissioner's final recommendations regarding the property.

Step V is publication of OPM’s final determination regarding disposition of the property. Fifteen days after this posting the transfer may proceed.

IMPORTANT:  Most proposed transfers are not required to go through all five steps.  The land may be sold or transferred 15 days after the close of the comment period of Step I if no comments are received.  If comments are received, and the DEP does not elect to conduct and publish a more thorough study of the property, the land may be sold or transferred 15 days after publication of the comments and responses under Step II.

The following Step I Notices are posted for review and comment in this edition.

1) Notice of Proposed Easement Transfer, Enfield

Complete Address of Property: Intersection of South Maple and Cooper Streets


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information:

Maple Street Bridge Replacement


Number of acres to be transferred:  easement for 0.07 acres  (or 3,367 square feet)


Click to view maps:  Location Map    Survey Map   Discontinuance

Description of Property

Below is some general information about the property.  It should not be considered a complete description of the property and should not be relied upon for making decisions.  If only a portion of a property is proposed for transfer, the description pertains only to the portion being transferred.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses: The property is part of Scantic River State Park.  This section of the park, east of Maple Street, is known as Powder Hollow for the historic Hazard Powder Company that made gunpowder here. This area includes the ruins of a dam and part of a mill foundation.  At present, there is no parking for recreational users, so they are forced to park off the edge of the road, where the abandoned Cooper street intersects with South Maple Street. 

The Town of Enfield has received federal funding to replace the narrow South Maple Street bridge and is requesting various land rights from DEP in exchange for the release of an interest in a Town Right-of-Way (road).  Easements that would go from DEP to the Town would be a 0.06 acre/ 2903 square foot right to build and maintain the new bridge (although only a very small portion of the bridge support will be on DEP land), a 234 square foot  right to drain stormwater, and a 230 square foot right to grade the land from the road to blend to the topography in the park.  All requested easements can be viewed by accessing the link to the 'Survey Map' above.  

In return for the easements, the Town of Enfield will move to formally discontinue an unused 0.64 acre/28,226 square foot  portion of Cooper Street to the east of the work location.  The town will reserve a sewer easement, but the road Right-of-Way will be extinguished and will revert to State Park land.  The proposed discontinued portion of Cooper Street appears hatched on the map can be viewed by accessing the 'Discontinuance" map above. 

In addition, the Town will construct a new 7-car gravel parking area (also pictured on the 'Survey Map' above) on the remaining abandoned portion of Cooper Street where it intersects with South Maple Street.  This will provide much needed parking for recreational users of Scantic River State Park.

The property to be transferred contains the following:
 Buildings in use
Buildings not in use
Wooded land

 Nonagricultural fields

 Active agriculture
 Paved areas
 Ponds, streams or other water

Water Supply:   Public water supply   On-site well    Unknown
Waste Disposal:    Served by sewers    On-site septic system    Unknown


Click to view aerial view of property Bing Bird's eye view

Click to view photographs of property - no photographs available.

The Locational Guide Map of the Connecticut Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut identifies the property as being in the following category(ies):
 Regional Center
Neighborhood Conservation Area
Growth Area
 Rural Community Center
 Rural Area
 Conservation Area
 Preservation Area
 Existing Preserved Open Space

The property is in the following municipal zone(s):

Not zoned
Residential
Industrial
 Commercial
 Institutional
 Other: 
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: Property is on the banks of the Scantic River.

Value of property, if known:
If checked, value is not known.
Type of Sale or Transfer:

Sale or transfer of property in fee

Sale or transfer of partial interest in the property (such as an easement).  Description of interest:  Refer to 'Description of Property" and 'Survey Map" above.

Proposed recipient, if known:  The Town of Enfield

Proposed use by property recipient, if known:  Bridge reconstruction and maintenance, drainage, and grading.

The agency is proposing to transfer the property with the following restrictions on future uses:
 If checked, the state is not currently proposing restrictions on future uses.

Reason the State of Connecticut is proposing to transfer this property:  The South Maple Street Bridge is in need of reconstruction.  The new bridge will be wider and safer, and DEP will gain additional park land as well as recreational parking in trade.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on October 7, 2010.


Comments may include (but are not limited to) information you might have about significant natural resources or recreation resources on the property, as well as your recommendations for means to preserve such resources.


Written comments* should be sent to:

Name:

Patrick O’Brien

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue MS#52 ASP
Hartford, CT 06106-1379

E-Mail:

 Patrick.Obrien@ct.gov


*E-Mail submissions are preferred. 

(Comments from state agencies must be on agency letterhead and signed by agency head.  Scanned copies are preferred.)


What Happens Next?

To find out if this proposed transfer is the subject of further notices, check future editions of the Environmental Monitor.Sign up for e-alerts to receive a reminder e-mail on Environmental Monitor publication dates.

2. Notice of Proposed Easement Transfer, Vernon

Complete Address of Property: Phoenix Street over the Tankerhoosen River


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information:

Phoenix Street Bridge Reconstruction


Number of acres to be transferred:  easement for 0.02 acres or 1105 square feet


Click to view map of property location   Location Map   Survey Map


Description of Property

Below is some general information about the property.  It should not be considered a complete description of the property and should not be relied upon for making decisions.  If only a portion of a property is proposed for transfer, the description pertains only to the portion being transferred.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses: This property is part of Tankerhoosen Lake and Dam, which is a compilation of many small acquisitions.  The affected portion of land, on the east side of Phoenix Street, was resultant from a boundary line agreement with the Town of Vernon in 1999 when repairs and modifications to the lake's dam were made. 

The Town of Vernon has received federal funding to replace the existing Phoenix Street bridge over the Tankerhoosen River, and is requesting an easement from DEP for construction and permanent maintenance.  The easement consists of 0.02 acres or 1105 square feet and can be viewed by accessing the link to the 'Survey Map' above.  Construction involves placement of rip-rap, concrete wingwall, and concrete block channel liner in accordance with approved plans.  It will also allow for modifications to the existing 12" diameter ductile iron water main.

The property to be transferred contains the following:
 Buildings in use
Buildings not in use
Wooded land

 Nonagricultural fields

 Active agriculture
 Paved areas
 Ponds, streams or other water

Water Supply:   Public water supply   On-site well    Unknown
Waste Disposal:    Served by sewers    On-site septic system    Unknown


Click to view aerial view of property  

Bing Bird's eye view looking north

Bing Bird's Eye View looking west

Click to view photographs of property - no photographs are available.

The Locational Guide Map of the Connecticut Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut identifies the property as being in the following category(ies):
 Regional Center
Neighborhood Conservation Area
Growth Area
 Rural Community Center
 Rural Area
 Conservation Area
 Preservation Area
 Existing Preserved Open Space

The property is in the following municipal zone(s):

Not zoned
Residential
Industrial
 Commercial
 Institutional
 Other: 
 Not known

Value of property, if known:
If checked, value is not known.

Links to other available information

Type of Sale or Transfer:

Sale or transfer of property in fee

Sale or transfer of partial interest in the property (such as an easement).  Description of interest:

Proposed recipient, if known:The Town of Vernon

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: Bridge reconstruction and permanent maintenance access.

The agency is proposing to transfer the property with the following restrictions on future uses:
 If checked, the state is not currently proposing restrictions on future uses.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on October 7, 2010.


Comments may include (but are not limited to) information you might have about significant natural resources or recreation resources on the property, as well as your recommendations for means to preserve such resources.


Written comments* should be sent to:

Name:

Patrick O’Brien

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue MS#52 ASP
Hartford, CT 06106-1379

E-Mail:

 Patrick.Obrien@ct.gov


*E-Mail submissions are preferred. 

(Comments from state agencies must be on agency letterhead and signed by agency head.  Scanned copies are preferred.)


What Happens Next?

To find out if this proposed transfer is the subject of further notices, check future editions of the Environmental Monitor.Sign up for e-alerts to receive a reminder e-mail on Environmental Monitor publication dates.
 There are no Step II, III IV or V notices submitted for review or comment in this edition.
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