Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

train passing wetlands

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

April 7, 2009
Scoping Notices
 
   1. Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade - Norwich.
Environmental Impact Evaluations
  
   1. Housatonic River Basin Draft Natural Resources Restoration Plan
   2. NEW! Two Academic Buildings at UConn, Storrs
State Land Transfers
  
   1. NEW! Bristol Armory, 61 Center St. - Bristol
The next issue will be published on April 21, 2009.
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Scoping Notices
A Scoping Notice has been issued for the following state project.  "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.

1. Notice of Scoping for Norwich Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

Municipality where proposed project would be located: Norwich

Address of Project Location: Falls Avenue, Norwich

Project Description: The Norwich Public Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant as well as much of the older sections of the sewer collection system has been serving beyond its useful design life.  The treatment plant has also been exceeding discharge water quality requirements for nitrogen removal. The Norwich Public Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade will meet current discharge regulatory requirements for water quality and allow for growth in projected demand.  The design capacity of the plant will be increased from 8.5 million gallons per day (MGD) to 10.3 MGD. The Department of Environmental Protection is currently reviewing a Norwich Public Utilities wastewater system facilities plan that addresses these concerns. An Environmental Impact Evaluation will be prepared assessing the potential environmental impacts associated with the treatment plant upgrade.

Project Maps:  A map of the treatment plant can be viewed by clicking here.  A map of the proposed new sewer service areas can be viewed by clicking here.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  April 17, 2009.

Any person can ask the sponsoring agency to hold a Public Scoping Meeting by sending such a request to the address below.  If a meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, by March 27, 2007, the Department of Environmental Protection must schedule a Public Scoping Meeting. 

Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at:

Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Protection & Land Reuse
Municipal Facilities Section (2nd Floor)
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Written comments and/or requests for a Public Scoping Meeting should be sent to:

Name: Joseph Higgins,
Sanitary Engineer
Agency: Connecticut Department
of Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT  06106
Phone: (860) 424-3584
Fax: (860) 424-4067
E-Mail: Joseph.Higgins@ct.gov

If you have questions about a public meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact Mr. Higgins as directed above.

The agency expects to release an Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, shortly after the scoping period.

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

1. Notice of EIE for Housatonic River Basin Natural Resources Restoration Project

Municipalities where proposed projects are located: North Canaan, Salisbury, Cornwall, Sharon, Kent, Harwinton, Sherman, New Milford, Roxbury, Brookfield, New Fairfield, Southbury, Newtown, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Derby, Shelton, Milford, and Stratford.

Project Description: The Connecticut SubCouncil of the Housatonic River Natural Resource Trustee Council proposes to implement projects to restore natural resources and resource services in Connecticut injured as a result of the release of PCBs from the General Electric Facility in Pittsfield, MA.  This action is being taken under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and a Consent Decree in the case of “The United States, et al. versus the General Electric Company,” and using the Natural Resource Damages (NRD) recovery funds obtained from the General Electric Company as compensation for the injury to natural resources and natural resource services. Projects intended for implementation include those to restore aquatic natural resources (e.g., fish passages, streambank stabilization), riparian and floodplain natural resources (e.g., wetlands restoration, riparian land conservation), and recreational uses of natural resources (e.g., canoe and kayak launches, riverfront park development). 

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

Additional information about the restoration project can be viewed online at: http://www.housatonicrestoration.org/

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on May 1, 2009:

Any person can ask the sponsoring agency to hold a Public Hearing on this EIE by sending such a request to Richard Jacobson at the address below by March 27, 2009.  If a hearing is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the Department of Environmental Protection must schedule a Public Hearing.

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:

   Department of Environmental Protection
   Bureau of Natural Resources
   Inland Fisheries Division (6th Floor)
   79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

or at the offices of the town clerk in any of the municipalities listed above.

The EIE can also be found online at the DEP website, if you click here.

Send your written comments (email preferred) about this EIE to:

Name: Richard Jacobson
Agency: Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection
Inland Fisheries Division
Address: 79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 424-3482
Fax: (860) 424-4070
E-Mail: rick.jacobson@ct.gov

If you have questions about the projects, a public hearing, where you can review this EIE, or similar matters, please contact Mr. Jacobson as directed above.

2. Notice of EIE for Construction of Two Academic Buildings

Municipality where proposed project will be located: Storrs, CT

Address of Project Location:  Fairfield Way

Project Description: The University of Connecticut plans to construct a 136,000 square foot LEED Silver certified classroom and academic offices building at the location of the former UConn Co-op and a 60,000 square foot LEED Silver certified classroom building at the location of the former Pharmacy Building. 

Project Map:  See Site Location Map.

Comments for this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on:

May 21, 2009 (4:30 PM)

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:

University of Connecticut, Office of Environmental Policy

Mansfield Town Hall (Clerk's Office)

Mansfield Public Library

There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on:

Date: May 20, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Place: UConn Bishop Center

One Bishop Circle

Storrs, CT  06269-4056

Entrance is off of 195, see:  Directions to Bishop Center

Notes: Doors open at 6:30 pm.  The hearing will conclude at the end of the public comments.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name:  Paul E. Ferri, Environmental Compliance Analyst

Agency:  University of Connecticut, Office of Environmental Policy

Address:  31 LeDoyt Road, U-Box 3055, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3055

Fax:  (860) 486-5477

Email:  paul.ferri@uconn.edu

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

Phone:  (860) 486-9295

Email:  paul.ferri@uconn.edu

   
State Land Transfer Notices
The following state land transfer is posted for public notice or comment in this edition.

1. Notice of Proposed Land Transfer - Bristol

Complete Address of Property: 61 Center Street


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information: Bristol Armory

Number of acres to be transferred:  0.61

Click to view map of property location (3.3 MB)


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 building was built in 1929 and is a 58,546 gross square foot, three story brick building.  The Military Department has continuously usesd the site until Fall 2008.

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 (4.5 MB)

Click to view photographs of property

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:  Downtown Business Zone (BD-2)
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: unknown

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:

Proposed recipient, if known: TBD

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: n/a

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 property is surplus to the Military Department's needs and no reuse proposal was received from state agencies.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on May 7, 2009


Comments may include information that you 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.
Please send a copy of any comments to:

Name:

Shane P. Mallory, RPA

Agency:

Department of Public Works

Address:

165 Capitol Avenue, G-1

Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail:

 shane.mallory@ct.gov

What Happens Next

When this comment period closes, the proposed land transfer can take one of three tracks:

1.   If no public comments are received, the sale or transfer can proceed with no further public comment and no further notices in the Environmental Monitor, unless the Department of Environmental Protection elects to conduct a review of the property (see #3).

2.   If public comments are received, the Office of Policy and Management will respond to those comments.  The comments and responses will be published in the Environmental Monitor.  Fifteen days after publication of the comments and responses, the proposed sale or transfer can proceed, unless the Department of Environmental Protection elects to conduct a review of the property (see #3).

3.   If the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) elects to conduct a further review of the property, it may submit to the Office of Policy and Management a report with recommendations for preserving all or part of the property.  The report and recommendations will be published in the Environmental Monitor, and there will be a 30-day public comment period.  The DEP will publish its responses to any comments received and its final recommendation about the property in the Environmental Monitor.  The Office of Policy and Management will then make the final determination as to the ultimate disposition of the property, and will publish that determination in the Environmental Monitor.  Fifteen days after publication of that final determination, the sale or transfer can proceed.


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 publication dates.

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Copyright 2006, Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality