Environmental Monitor

July 5, 2016

  1.  NEW! Major Rehabilitation or Replacement of Heroes Tunnel (Bridge 00773) Route 15 Through West Rock Ridge, Woodbridge, Hamden, New Haven 
  1.  NEW! Marlborough Town Center Public Water System Phase II, Marlborough
  1.  EXTENDED COMMENT DEADLINE! New Parking Garage at Union Station, New Haven
  2.  NEW! Southbury Affordable-Elderly Housing Development, Southbury
 
     No Land Transfer Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.
                     

 

The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on  July 19, 2016.

 
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Notices in the Environmental Monitor are written by the sponsoring agencies and are published unedited. Questions about the content of any notice should be directed to the sponsoring agency.
 

 
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 Notice has been submitted for review and comment.

1. Notice of Scoping for Rehabilitation or Replacement of Bridge No. 00773 (Heroes Tunnel) - Route 15 through West Rock Ridge

Municipalities where proposed project might be located: Woodbridge, Hamden, and New Haven

Address of Possible Project Location:  Bridge No. 00773 (Heroes Tunnel) - Route 15 through West Rock Ridge.  

Project Description: Bridge No. 00773, also known as the Heroes Tunnel, consists of twin 1,200 foot long horseshoe shaped tunnels, carrying two lanes of Route 15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway) traffic in each direction through the West Rock Ridge.  The Heroes Tunnel carries approximately 71,000 vehicles daily and is a vital scenic connector between New York and Hartford, as well as an alternate expressway route to Interstate 95 and Interstate 91. 

Structural and drainage deficiencies have been identified within the Heroes Tunnel.  The general deterioration necessitates either rehabilitation or replacement.  In addition to the deteriorating condition of the tunnel, other characteristics are substandard such as the electrical and mechanical utilities.  All of which would be upgraded or improved through the rehabilitation or replacement of the existing tunnel.

The recently completed preliminary study of the project has identified several rehabilitation alternatives, which include variations of tunnel rehabilitation, tunnel widening, and construction of a new third tunnel.  This project will be advanced into the preliminary design phase in the near future, where the alternatives identified in the study will be investigated in greater detail.

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:  Friday August 12, 2016

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

DATEWednesday July 27, 2016

TIME: 7:00 p.m.

PLACE: Woodbridge Senior Center, 4 Meetinghouse Lane, Woodbridge, CT 06525

NOTES: The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities.  Deaf and hearing impaired persons wishing to attend this meeting and requiring an interpreter must make arrangements by contacting the Department of Transportation's Office of Communications at 860-594-3062 (voice only) at least five working days prior to the meeting.

Written comments should be sent to:

Name: Mr. Mark W. Alexander, Transportation Assistant Planning Director
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Policy and Planning
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
Fax: 860- 594-3028
E-Mail:

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

Name: Mr. David A. Cutler, Transportation Supervising Engineer
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-3210
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. Post-Scoping Notice for the Marlborough Town Center Public Water System Phase II

Municipality where project will be located: Marlborough

CEPA Determination: On May 17, 2016, 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 commentsprovided by the DEEP dated June 17, 2016, 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 the Town of Marlborough to ensure that the recommendations by the DEEP are implemented.

The agency's conclusion is documented in a Memorandum of Findings and Determination and 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

E-Mail:

dph.sourceprotection@ct.gov

Phone:

860-509-7333


 

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).


The following EIE Notices have been submitted for review and comment.

1. Notice of EIE for New Parking Garage at Union Station

Municipality where project is proposed: New Haven

Address of Possible Project Location: Union Avenue, New Haven, CT 06519 

Project Description:  The Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) is proposing to construct a new multi-level parking facility for Union Station in the City of New Haven.  The project area is State of Connecticut property located north of the station and is currently being used as a commuter parking lot.  The proposed parking facility will accommodate approximately 1000 parking spaces, thereby expanding commuter parking at the station to address existing and future parking needs.  The facility will be designed with consideration to the historic significance, scale, and aesthetic quality of the station building.  Stairtowers and a pedestrian bridge (proposed under another project) will allow passengers to access railroad platforms via an overhead route or via the existing route through the station and tunnel.  All work will be performed while the existing garage is kept in operation.  Occasional modifications to traffic flow at the garage driveways will be necessary to accommodate construction. 

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: Tuesday, July 5, 2016
 
The public can view a copy of this EIE at: This document is available for public inspection at the Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau of Policy and Planning (Room 2155), 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT; New Haven Town Clerk's Office, 200 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510; New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510; Connecticut State Library, 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106; and the South Central Regional Council of Governments, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor West, North Haven, CT 06473. 
 
The EIE is also available online at: www.ct.gov/environmentaldocuments
 
There is a public hearing scheduled for this EIE on
 
DATEMonday, June 6, 2016

 

TIME: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Gateway Community College, 20 Church Street, New Haven, CT 0651

NOTES: The hearing location is accessible to persons with disabilities.  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 at 860-594-3062 (voice only) at least five working days prior to the hearing.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Mr. Mark W. Alexander, Transportation Assistant Planning Director
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Policy and Planning
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: dot.environmentalplanning@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 A. Hall, Project Manager
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Engineering and Construction
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Keith.A.Hall@ct.gov
Phone: 860-594-3301

2. Notice of EIE for Southbury Affordable-Elderly Housing Development

Municipality where project is proposed: Southbury

Address of Possible Project Location: 1230 South Britain Road (Southbury Training School [STS] land)

Project Description: The proposed action includes the disposition of the 45-acre state-owned parcel at STS to the Town of Southbury and the proposed development of senior housing, either at the STS parcel or elsewhere within the Town of Southbury. The Town intends to lease the parcel to Pierce Hollow Village, Inc (PHV), a non-profit organization, for the development of senior housing. The use of state funds has not directly caused the need for the EIE. Instead, the EIE has been triggered by the land transfer per SA 13-23.

Project Maps:  General LocationParcel Figure.

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on: August 19, 2016

The public can view a copy of this EIE at: the Southbury Town Clerk's Office (501 Main Street, Southbury, CT); Southbury Public Library - Central (100 Poverty Rd., Southbury, CT). The EIE is available online by clicking here. (7.3 MB)

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name: Jeff Bolton
Agency: DAS - Division of Construction Services
Address: 165 Capitol Ave, Room 483, Hartford, CT 06106
E-Mail: jeffrey.bolton@ct.gov

No public hearing is scheduled for this EIE.  A public hearing request must be made by twenty-five persons or an association having not less than twenty-five persons.  Such requests must be made by the close of business on and no later than July 15, 2016. 

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

Name: Jeff Bolton
Agency: DAS - Division of Construction Services
Address: 165 Capitol Ave, Room 483, Hartford, CT 06106
E-Mail: jeffrey.bolton@ct.gov
Phone: 860-713-5706

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 process.

 


No State Land Transfer Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.



 
 
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