Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

Environmental Monitor

  June 18, 2013

Special Notice    

  1.    Conservation and Development Policies: The Plan for Connecticut, 2013 - 2018 (State C & D Plan) was formally adopted by the General Assembly.

  1.    Bridgewater Associates, Stamford
  2.    REVISED! U.S. National Coast Guard Museum Pedestrian Overpass Project, New London, with date for public scoping meeting.         
  1.    Library Lane and George Washington Turnpike Water Main Project STEAP Grant, Burlington
  
     No Environmental Impact Evaluation has been submitted for publication in this edition.
   
 
     No State Land Transfer Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.   
The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on  July 2, 2013.
 
Subscribe to e-alerts to receive an e-mail when The Environmental Monitor is published.
    

1. Conservation and Development Policies: The Plan for Connecticut, 2013-2018 (State C & D Plan).

The General Assembly formally adopted the revised 2013-2018 State C & D Plan via Senate Joint Resolution No. 58. The May 15th endorsement letter of the Continuing Legislative Committee on State Planning and Development has been incorporated into the Final C & D Plan link on OPM’s website in order to provide a statement of legislative intent on the use of the Locational Guide Map. 
 
Scoping Notices

"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 Scoping Notices have been submitted for review and comment.
1. Notice of Scoping for Bridgewater Associates

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Stamford

Address of Possible Project Location: Harbor Point, 14-acre Parcel, Stamford, CT

Project Description: Bridgewater Associates is proposing to utilize state funding for construction of a new headquarters building and associated improvements. The proposed activities include the following: construction of new 700,000 s.f. building, parking garage, driveways, public access ways, utilities, grading, landscaping, and appurtenant site improvements. The proposed project may also include installation of a fuel cell, wind, solar powered or other alternative energy systems at the 14-acre Harbor Point parcel. Additional activities may include improvements to the existing stormwater and sewer pumping stations and roadway infrastructure.

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:  June 21, 2013

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, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a Public Scoping Meeting.  Such requests must be made by May 31, 2013.

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

Name: Mark Hood
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development
Address: 505 Hudson Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Fax: 860-270-8157
E-Mail: mark.hood@ct.gov
2. Notice of Scoping for the U.S. National Coast Guard Museum Pedestrian Overpass Project

Municipality where proposed project might be located: New London

Address of Possible Project Location: Waterfront Park, New London, CT

Project Description: The State of Connecticut has committed to provide financial assistance for the construction of a pedestrian bridge overpass that will be integral to the success of the U.S. National Coast Guard Museum Project, access to the site, and overall improvement to New London’s regional intermodal transportation center.  State funds may also be used for ancillary work associated with the project, including property purchases, feasibility studies, traffic redesigns and other necessary project components. 

The pedestrian overpass will provide a safe handicapped accessible connection between the Ferry Terminal and Museum on the waterfront and public parking garage located to the west across the railroad tracks.  It will be fully enclosed and have three access points:  1) adjacent to the Union Station; 2) on the platform of the north-bound passenger track; and 3) between the Museum and Ferry Terminal.  The present rail crossing situation is less than satisfactory.  The overpass will be enclosed and protected from the weather.  The three access points will each have stairs and an elevator.  The overpass will be ADA compliant and, in addition to serving the Museum, the Ferry Terminal, the waterfront Promenade, the recreational boating docks and the City Pier, it will provide AMTRAK with safe access to trains traveling in both directions.

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:  July 18, 2013.

Written comments should be sent to:

Name: Mark Hood
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development
Address: 505 Hudson Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Fax: 860-270-8157
E-Mail: mark.hood@ct.gov

NEW! There will be a Public Scoping Meeting for this project at:

DATE:      July 8, 2013

TIME:      5:00 pm

PLACE:   New London City Hall, Council Chambers, 181 State Street, New London, CT 06320

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

Name: Mark Hood
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development
Address: 505 Hudson Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 860-270-8089
Fax: 860-270-8157
E-Mail:
 
Post-Scoping Notices:   Environmental Impact Evaluation Not Required 
 
This category is required by the October 2010 revision of the Generic Environmental Classification Document for State Agencies. A notice is published here if the sponsoring agency, after publication of a scoping notice and consideration of comments received, has determined that an  Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) does not need to be prepared for the proposed project.
The Following Post-Scoping Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.
1. Library Lane and George Washington Turnpike Water Main Project STEAP Grant

Municipality where project will be located: Burlington


CEPA Determination:  On May 7, 2013, the Department of Public Health (DPH) published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this project in the Environmental Monitor.

Based on the DPH’s environmental assessment of this project which includes comments provided by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) dated May 17, 2013, it has been determined that the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) under CEPA. The DPH will coordinate with Torrington Water Company to ensure that the recommendations by the DEEP will be implemented.

The agency's conclusion is documented in a Memorandum of Findings and Determination and an Environmental Assessment Summary.

If you have questions about the project, you can contact the agency at:

Name:

 Mr. Eric McPhee

Agency:

 Department of Public Health 
Drinking Water Section

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue, MS #51WAT
P O Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308

Phone:

 860-509-7333

Fax:

 860-509-7359

E-Mail:

 DPH.Sourceprotection@ct.gov

What happens next: The DPH expects the project to go forward. This is expected to be the final notice of the project to be published in the Environmental Monitor.

 
 
After Scoping, an agency that wishes to undertake an action that could significantly affect the environment must produce, for public review and comment, a detailed written evaluation of the expected environmental impacts. This is called an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE).
No EIE has been submitted for publication in this edition.
 
 
Connecticut General Statutes Section 4b-47 requires public notice of most proposed sales and transfers of state-owned lands. The public has an opportunity to comment on any such proposed transfer. Each notice includes an address where comments should be sent. Read more about the five-step process.

No State Land Transfer Notice has been submitted for publication 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, read the product overview at Adobe.com .