Environmental Monitor
March 6, 2018
  1. Roaraback Pond Dam Removal, Harwinton
  2.  Putnam Memorial Pond Dam Removal, Redding
  3.  Resilient Bridgeport: National Disaster Resilience and Rebuild by Design Project, Bridgeport
  4.  Greater New Haven Water pollution Control Authority Combined Sewer Overflow Long-term Control Plan, New Haven
  5.  NEW! Removal of Traffic Signals on Route 9 and Associated Improvements, Middletown
  1.  NEW! Whiting Street Improvement Project, Winsted
 
     No Environmental Impact Evaluation has been submitted for review and comment.

State Land Transfers

  1.  NEW! Comments and OPM Response for the Proposed Sewer Easement, Pomfret

 

The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on March 20, 2018.
 
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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 Notices have been submitted for review and comment.

1. Notice of Scoping for Roraback Pond Dam Removal

Municipality where proposed project is located: Harwinton

Project Location: South Road as it crosses Leadmine Brook in Harwinton

Project Description: Roraback Pond Dam consists of a 510 foot long earth embankment with a mortared stone masonry spillway about 6.5 feet in length, for a total length of 517 feet.  The dam is built along the eastern channel bank of Leadmine Brook. the original use for this dam impoundment is unknown.  Heavy tree brush growth was observed on the crest and both the upstream and downstream slopes of the dam.   The spillway is in failed condition, there is evidence of a bridge across the principal spillway that is no longer there.  Mortared stone walls are collapsing with stones missing and cracking.  The stone masonry walls are approximately 18 inches thick. 

The dam impounds a 0.83 acre small sized pond approximately 2 to 4 feet deep. No fish were observed during inspection and the pond is of low recreational value. Roraback Dam is a breaching candidate because of the excessive tree growth and severe disrepair of this dam.  The dam will be breached to the south in the area of the original wetland location. 

The objectives of this project are:

-to eliminate a public safety risk and liability.

-to eliminate costs associated with maintenance, inspection and repair of a state-owned dam.  The State has limited resources to maintain this structure.

-to restore natural riverine functions (e.g. restoration of normal wetland and floodplain functions, re-establishment of natural riverine vegetative communities).

Location and pictures of Roraback Pond Dam.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  March 6, 2018.

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 February 16, 2018.

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

Name: Dan Biron
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address:   79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Dan.Biron@ct.gov

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

Name: Dan Biron
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address:   79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 860-424-3892
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Dan.Biron@ct.gov

2. Notice of Scoping for Putnam Memorial Pond Dam Removal

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Redding

Project Location: Park is located at 499 Black Rock Turnpike, Redding. Pond is located off of Route 107 (Putnam Park Road) within the boundaries of the park.

Project Description: The Putnam Memorial Dam consists of a 55-foot dry stone masonry structure with a concrete cap and a possible concrete facing on the upstream face of the stone masonry.  The concrete spillway is about 8.2 feet long, located 4.3 feet from the right edge of the dam, and discharges to an unnamed tributary to the Little River.  The dam crest is topped by a concrete slab 3 feet wide.  The spillway is topped with a concrete slab 4 feet wide that projects beyond the downstream face of the dam. 

The downstream stone masonry face is in disrepair.  A valve operator and 6-inch outlet pipe were observed in the channel downstream of the dam.  A stone culvert is located downstream of the dam below an internal park roadway.  This dam is a candidate for breaching in the existing location.

Project objectives include:

- Eliminating a public safety risk and liability.

- Eliminating costs associated with maintenance, inspection and repair of a state-owned dam.  The State has limited resources to maintain this structure.

- Restoring natural riverine functions (e.g. sediment transport, restoration of floodplain functions and values, maintenance of normal thermal regimes, re-establishment of natural riverine vegetative communities).

Project Location Map: Putnam Memorial Park Pond Dam, Route 107, Redding.

                               Pictures and aerial photo of Putnam Memorial Park Pond Dam.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  March 6, 2018.

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 February 16, 2018.

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

Name: Dan Biron
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Water Planning and Management Division
Address:   79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Dan.Biron@ct.gov

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

Name: Dan Biron
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Water Planning and Management Division
Address:   79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
Phone: 860-424-3892
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Dan.Biron@ct.gov

3. Notice of Scoping for Resilient Bridgeport: National Disaster Resilience and Rebuild By Design Projects

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Bridgeport, CT

Addresses of Possible Project Locations: Marina Village (20 Ridge Avenue); University Avenue from Park Avenue to Main Street; portions of the area between Main Street to the west and the waterfront to the east and Ferry Access Road to the north and the waterfront to the south.

Project Description: The State of Connecticut, through the Department of Housing (DOH) is proposing to prepare an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) to analyze the potential environmental and social effects of alternatives being proposed to improve coastal and social resiliency and reduce flood risk to the south end of Bridgeport. The proposed project was developed as part of Connecticut’s application for assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Rebuild by Design (RBD) and National Disaster Resilience (NDR) competitions. The purpose of the project is to create a more resilient South End community, support its long-term viability, and improve health and safety for the community’s vulnerable populations. The EIE will examine build alternatives with three parts – Flood Risk Reduction, a Resilience Hub and Stormwater Improvements and Dry Egress.

Draft Scope of Work: Click here or here to view the draft scope of work.

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

A Public Scoping Meeting will be held for this project at:

DATE: Wednesday, March 14, 2018
TIME: 6:00 – 9:00 pm. (Presentation to start at 6:30 pm)

PLACE: Arnold Bernhard Arts & Humanities Center (first floor) located at 84 Iranistan Avenue, Bridgeport, CT  06601

Purpose of Meeting: The Scoping Meeting will present information about the project and solicit comments on the project’s purpose and need, preliminary alternatives, and area of key environmental concern.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Written comments should be sent to:

           Name:           David Kooris, Director of Resilience

           Agency:         Department of Housing

           Address:        505 Hudson Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06106

Comments may be emailed to:

          info@resilientbridgeport.com (Please use the subject heading “EIE Comment”)

If you have questions about the public meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact the project team by calling (860) 815-0299.

 


 
4. Scoping Notice for Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan

Project Title: Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan

Municipality where proposed project might be located: New Haven

Project Locations: Throughout City of New Haven

Project Description: New Haven is a combined sewer overflow community, where both sanitary sewage and stormwater are carried in a single pipe.  During rainfall events of sufficient intensity and duration, the capacity of the collection system is overwhelmed and excess flows discharge to nearby rivers and New Haven Harbor via built-in overflows in the collection system.  The overflows were designed to prevent the combined sewer flows from backing up into basements and surcharging onto streets. The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (GNHWPCA) is responsible for operation and maintenance of this collection and treatment system. 

GNHWPCA has agreed, through a DEEP consent order, to eliminate these discharges, and has developed the CSO Long Term Control Plan to accomplish this. 

The Plan recommends a combination of sewer separation, in-system storage, and capacity increases in the conveyance system and at New Haven’s East Shore Water Pollution Abatement Facility (ESWPAF).  These improvements will be implemented in a phased approach in over a 20 year period.  The plan will be reevaluated as the project progresses, based on environmental improvements, changes in regulations and new technological solutions that may emerge.  The implementation of the proposed Plan will be conducted in three phases: Short-Term, Intermediate-Term, and Long-Term. The Short- Term improvements include collection system modifications, including green infrastructure improvements in the West River area and other areas in the city.  Major pumping station improvements and other collection system improvements will be undertaken as part of the Intermediate-Term phase.  This will enable additional flow to be conveyed to the ESWPAF.  Phase 3, the Long-Term portion of the Plan, will include upgrades to the ESWPAF, Fair Haven sewer separation, and construction of CSO storage tanks to complete improvement to eliminate all CSO discharge during a 2-year, 6-hour storm event in the system. 

Project Maps: 

Short-Term Control Plan Components

Intermediate-Term Control Plan Components

Long-Term Control Plan Components                          

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  March 22, 2018.

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 March 2, 2018.

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

Name: Steve Muollo
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address:   79 Elm Street
Hartford CT 06106-5127
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Stephen.Muollo@ct.gov

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

Name: Steve Muollo
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address:   79 Elm Street
Hartford Ct 06106-5127
Phone: 860-424-3753
Fax: 860-424-4067
E-Mail: Stephen.Muollo@ct.gov

Notes: The Connecticut DEEP is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Please contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accomocations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint. Any person needing a hearing accommodation may call the State of Connecticut relay number-711. Requests for accommodations must be made at least two weeks prior to any hearing, program, or event.  


 
5. Notice of Scoping for Removal of Traffic Signals on Route 9 and Associated Improvements

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Middletown

Address of Possible Project Location: Route 9 to include Washington Street (Exit 15) and Hartford Avenue (Exit 16).  Route 17 overlaps a small section of Route 9 in this area.  

Project Description:  CT Route 9 is a north/south running freeway except for a short section of non-freeway in the downtown Middletown area where it overlaps with Route 17. This section of Route 9 stretches for approximately 0.36 miles (Exit 15 to Exit 16) and includes two at-grade signalized intersections. These signalized intersections contribute to significant delays and crashes.

The existing three-way signalized intersection of Route 9 and Hartford Avenue (Exit16) provides access to and from Hartford Avenue in the northbound and southbound directions of Route 9. The proposed design will eliminate the left-turning movements from Route 9 northbound onto Hartford Avenue in order to reduce conflict points and remove signalization. An at-grade deceleration lane will be provided for Route 9 southbound traffic in order to maintain access to Hartford Avenue. Access to Route 9 northbound will be maintained by constructing a bridge to convey Route 9 southbound over Hartford Avenue. Route 9 southbound will be accessible from Hartford Avenue with a free-flow acceleration lane.

In order to provide access to downtown Middletown from Route 9 northbound, a bridge will be constructed to convey northbound vehicles over Route 9 southbound as well as the railroad track and yard. The off-ramp will intersect Rapallo Avenue at a new signalized intersection. To the west of this intersection, Rapallo will be one way towards Main Street while two-way travel will be maintained to the east.

The existing traffic signal on Route 9 at the intersection of Washington Street extended allows for access to Washington Street from the northbound and southbound directions (Exit 15) and from Washington Street to Route 9 southbound. The proximity of deKoven Drive to this intersection creates a large footprint with abnormal traffic operations. The proposed design will eliminate the Route 9 northbound and southbound (Exit 15) access to Washington Street to reduce conflict points. Access to Route 9 southbound from Washington Street will be maintained with an at-grade acceleration lane. The lane configuration on Washington Street will be modified to provide a dedicated left turn lane onto deKoven Drive as well.

This project is in the immediate vicinity of two additional proposed projects: Saint John's Square/ Main Street Intersection Improvements, and Sidewalk Bump-outs on Main Street between Union Street and Liberty Street.  Although these projects are in close proximity to one another they are each stand-alone projects with independent utility and value. All three projects will be discussed at the public scoping meeting.  

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

Project Plans:  Click here to view proposed project plans.  Included in the plans is the proposed work for the Sidewalk Bump-outs on Main Street, and the St. John's Square /Main Street Intersection Improvements.  The approximate footprint for the Removal of Traffic Signals and Associated Work is shown with a red border.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  Friday, April 6, 2018

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

DATE: Thursday, March 22, 2018 (Snow date March 23, 2018)

TIME: Presentation to begin at 7:00 P.M.

PLACE: Middletown High School Auditorium, 200 La Rosa Lane, Middletown, CT

NOTES: The meeting location is ADA accessible.  If language assistance is needed please contact the Department of Transportation's Office of Communications at 860-594-3062 (voice only) at least five days prior to the meeting.  Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS).  Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Written comments should be sent to:

Name: Mr. Erik A. Jarboe, P.E.- Transportation Supervising Engineer
Agency:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Bureau of Engineering and Construction
Address:   P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Erik.Jarboe@ct.gov

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

Name: Mr. Stephen D. Hall, P.E. - Project Engineer
Agency:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Bureau of Engineering and Construction 
Address:   P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-2591
E-Mail: Stephen.Hall@ct.gov

Other information: Project plans will be available at the Middletown City Hall Town Clerk's Office two weeks prior to the meeting


 
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 Whiting Street Improvement Project

Municipality where project will be located: Winsted, CT

CEPA Determination:  On January 16, 2018 the Office of Policy and Management published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this project in the Environmental Monitor.  Comments were received from the Farmington River Watershed Association, the Farmington River Coordinating Committee, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

The Office of Policy and Management has taken those comments into consideration and has concluded that the project does not require the preparation of Environmental Impact Evaluation under CEPA.


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


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

Name:     Matthew Pafford

Agency:   Office of Policy and Management

Address:  450 Capitol Ave

                Hartford, CT  06106

Email:     matthew.pafford@ct.gov

What happens next: The agency 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 Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.


 
State Land Transfer Notices
 
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.

 


The Following Land Transfer Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.

1. Comments and OPM's Responses for Proposed Land Transfer
in the Town of Pomfret

Complete address of property:  From Route 44/169 Crossing in Pomfret to Town Farm Road in Putnam

Commonly used name of property or other identifying information:  Air Line State Park Trail

Number of acres to be transferred:  Non-exclusive easement along approximatley 3.27 miles of former railroad right-of-way

Click here to view map of property location


Click here to view the previous edition of the Environmental Monitor in which the notice of intent to transfer this property (Step I) first appeared.


Click here to read the comments received from the public and state agencies regarding the proposed transfer of the property, and here to read the response of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to the comments.



WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The transfer may proceed 15 days after publication of this notice.

 
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