1. Notice of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) for City of Bridgeport Facilities Planning for East Side and West Side Wastewater Treatment Plants
Addresses of Possible Project Locations: East Side WPCF, 695 Seaview Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06607 and West Side WPCF, 205 Botswick Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06607
Municipality where proposed action is to be located: Bridgeport
Project Description: The scoping notice for this project was published in the October 6, 2020 edition of the Environmental Monitor and a virtual public scoping meeting was held on October 29, 2020. The post scoping notice for this project was published January 5, 2021.
The City of Bridgeport owns and operates two wastewater treatment plants that serve the combined sewer overflow (CSO) community, where both sanitary sewage and stormwater are carried in a single pipe. The wastewater treatment plants are the subject of Administrative Order AOWRMU19001 issued by DEEP on March 1, 2019. In response to this order, a facilities plan was submitted to DEEP on November 24, 2020. Through the Council on Environmental Quality website, the engineering report was submitted for scoping and post-scoping, and a Public Hearing was held. Based on the engineering report, comments received during scoping and post-scoping, and comments from the public hearing, an environmental impact evaluation was completed.
Updates will be made to two wastewater treatment plants (the 13.9-acre West Side plant and the 8.3-acre East Side plant) in southern Bridgeport to bring the facilities into compliance with public safety and environmental health compliance. Work will include the retention and retrofitting of much of the existing facilities, as well as the construction of new buildings, and demolition of several buildings and structures on the sites which will occur entirely within the current parcel boundary. Following local and state approvals of the concepts, the design phase is expected to start Spring 2021 with completion of both plants expected by October 2028.
The City of Bridgeport is already under an enforcement action to upgrade both wastewater treatment plants. The enforcement will be updated to memorialize the schedule of the treatment plant upgrades.
Project Map: Map of Project Area
The public can view a copy of this EIE here.
Scoping Notice and Post Scoping Notice: The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection published a Scoping Notice on October 6, 2020 and a Post-Scoping Notice on January 5, 2021 for the proposed project in the Environmental Monitor.
Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on: Friday, July 23, 2021
A public hearing may be requested by 25 persons or by an association having more than 25 members within 10 days of this notice's publication, June 18, 2021. If you have questions about a public hearing, or other questions about this project, contact Ms. Straut, as directed below.
Send your written comments via email about this EIE to:
Name: Ann Straut, Sanitary Engineer 3
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
E-Mail: ann.straut@ct.gov
If you have questions about this EIE, or similar matters, please contact:
Name: Ann Straut, Sanitary Engineer 3
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
E-Mail: ann.straut@ct.gov
What happens next: The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will review the comments received and may conduct further environmental study and analysis or amend the evaluation. DEEP will prepare responses to the substantive issues raised in review of and comment on the EIE and any supplemental materials or amendments. Those responses and all supplemental materials and comments shall be made available in a "Record of Decision" which will appear in the Environmental Monitor for public inspection.