Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

train passing wetlands

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

March 17, 2009
Scoping Notices
 
    1. NEW! Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade - Norwich
Environmental Impact Evaluations
  
   1. Southern Connecticut State University 2015 Campus Plan Update - New Haven and Hamden
   2. NEW! Housatonic River Basin Draft Natural Resources Restoration Plan
State Land Transfers
  
   1. 833 Main St. Windham (Willimantic)
The next issue will be published on April 7, 2009.
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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 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 Evaluation (EIE) has been completed and is available for review and comment in this edition. 

1. Notice of EIE for the Southern Connecticut State University 2015 Campus Plan Update

Municipalities where project is proposed: New Haven and Hamden

Address of Project Location: 501 Crescent Street, New Haven

Project Description: The Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) proposes to implement a program of improvements to the SCSU campus (the “Proposed Action”). These improvements have been released as part of an approved 2015 Campus Plan Update in 2004 and a subsequent alternative development plan in 2008. The primary goals and objectives of the improvement program are to:
Renovate, upgrade, replace, and expand existing facilities;
Relocate functions in existing or new facilities in coordination with the SCSU’s space utilization study;
Unify and consolidate core uses of the campus;
Utilize existing resources, building on existing strengths, and reinforcing the positive image of the University, community, and state; and
Development strategy that establishes need, priority, schedule, and cost effective solutions to the University’s and existing and future needs.

The Campus Plan would be implemented through various projects on campus providing new or renovated academic, administrative, athletic and residential space, new parking garages, landscaping, new quadrangles, linkage of exterior spaces throughout the campus, and demolition of some existing structures.

To implement the improvements, the 2004 Plan and the 2008 Alternative are being proposed as part of this EIE.  The 2008 Alternative is considered the Preferred Alternative for the purposes of this EIE, although both the 2004 and 2008 development alternatives are considered.

Project Figures:

Figures (high resolution)
 Lower Resolution
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Low Resolution(180kb)
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Low Resolution(180kb)

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on: March 20, 2009 (4:30PM)

The public can view a copy of this EIE at:

  • CT Department of Public Works website under "Public Notice" https://www.ct.gov/dpw
  • SCSU Buley Campus Library, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven
  • New Haven City Clerk’s Office, 200 Orange Street, New Haven

  • New Haven Main Branch Free Public Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven

  • Hamden Town Clerk’s Office, 2750 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden

  • Hamden Miller Memorial Central Library, 2901 Dixwell Ave, Hamden

  • CSUS Offices, 39 Woodland Street, Hartford

  • CT Department of Public Works, 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 275, Hartford

There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on:

DATE: Thursday, March 5, 2009

TIME: 7:00 PM

PLACE: SCSU Michael J. Adanti Student Center Theater (Plaza Level)

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

DIRECTIONS: http://www.southernct.edu/aboutscsu/map/

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name:
Title:
Keith Epstein, AIA
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Planning and Technical Services
Agency: Connecticut State University System
Address: 39 Woodland Street
Hartford,Connecticut  06105
E-Mail:
Fax:
(860) 493-0059

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

Name:
Jeff Bolton, Supervising Environmental Analyst
Agency: Department of Public Works
Address: 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 275
E-Mail:
Phone: (860) 713-5706

Other information: SCSU's Website

2. 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.

   
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 - Windham (Willimantic)

Complete Address of Property: 833 Main Street, Windham (Willimantic, Connecticut


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information: Nathan Hale Hall, formerly Nathan Hale Hotel

Number of acres to be transferred: 0.5

Click to view map of property general location (3.5 MB)

Click to view map of property boundary (1.7 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.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses: The site consists of a one and five story brick building containing a gross square footage of 27,845 SF plus 4,000 SF basement.  It was built as a hotel in 1926, converted by the State to a college dormitory for Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) in 1969, and last used as storage and offices by the University.  It has been unoccupied since 2001.

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

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 District
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: Within the Main Street Historic District (National Register of Historic Places)

Value of property, if known: $375,000.00
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: Unknown

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: Unknown

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 State has deemed the property surplus, since the property is no longer needed for ECSU use and no re-use proposals were received by other State agencies.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on April 2, 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

Title:

 Planning Specialist

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

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

E-Mail:

*E-Mail submissions are preferred.

Additional information, if any: 

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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