September 4, 2018
- Property Acquisition, Orange
- Seaview Avenue Corridor Improvements, Bridgeport
- NEW! Replacement of Bridge on Cedar Heights Road over Rippowam River, Stamford
"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 Orange Property Acquisition
Municipality: Orange
Address of Possible Project Location: 28 Salemme Lane (aka 0 Marsh Hill Road)
Project Description: The Town of Orange has requested state assistance in order to acquire a single parcel of privately-owned property accessed at the end of Salemme Lane between West Campus Drive and the Metro-North new haven railroad, in order to encourage construction of an Orange train station and to provide future opportunities for transit-oriented development, new business opportunities, and transit options for residents of the Town. The property is located at 28 Salemme Lane (also known as 0 Marsh Hill Road).
State assistance would enable the Town's acquisition of the aforementioned property, which was identified by the Department of Transportation (DOT) as the only feasible parcel to locate a future train station platform within the Town. The Town plans to continue efforts to encourage construction of a train station in Orange and has established a Transit Oriented Development District overlay zone in the area, wherein the property lies.
In exchange for this assistance, the Town will grant the State an easement for ingress and egress over a portion of the property that would be needed to construct and access a future Orange railroad platform. The access easement will remain in place for a period of twenty-five (25) years, after which, it will expire if no railroad station platform is developed by the State.
As the sponsoring agency for this project, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) is seeking public input on the potential for significant impacts associated with the Town's acquisition and intended use of the reference property.
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: Thursday, September 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 Friday, August 17, 2018.
Written comments and/or requests for a Public Scoping Meeting should be sent to:
| Name: | Mr. Zack Hyde |
| Agency: | Connecticut Office of Policy and Management |
| Address: |
450 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
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| Fax: | 860-418-6467 |
| E-Mail: | Zack.Hyde@ct.gov |
If you have questions about the public meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact:
| Name: | Mr. Zack Hyde |
| Agency: | Connecticut Office of Policy and Management |
| Address: |
450 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
|
| Phone: | 860-418-6261 |
| Fax: | 860-418-6467 |
| E-Mail: | Zack.Hyde@ct.gov |
1. Post-Scoping Notice for Seaview Avenue Corridor Improvements
Municipality where project will be located: Bridgeport
CEPA Determination: On April 7, 2015 the Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) published a Notice of Scoping in the Environmental Monitor to solicit public comments for this project. Comments were submitted by the Department of Public Health and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Additionally, comments were received from over 20 local residents/ groups. It should be noted that at the time of scoping, the project included a proposed roadway extension from the Stewart Street/Bond Street intersection toward the property identified as the potential Lake Success Business Park. The majority of the comments submitted by the general public expressed concerns with the potential development on a large parcel of wooded land in a densely populated and built up area. Additionally, the public felt the Department was promoting the development by providing direct access to this parcel. A petition was also submitted that was signed by 94 individuals having these same concerns. All public scoping comments can be found in Appendix B of the Environmental Assessment (link below).
Since that time, the northern project limit has been scaled back and is now proposed to terminate at the intersection of Stewart Street and Bond Street. It is important to note that, although one of the objectives of this project is to improve access to future development, any actual development of the Lake Success parcel would be undertaken by a private entity in a separate project. Any future development on the Lake Success parcel would be subject to local, state, and federal permitting processes which would require avoidance, minimization, and mitigation of adverse impacts to regulated natural resources. Additional information can be found in the Environmental Checklist. The Department has taken all comments into consideration and has concluded that the current project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) under CEPA.
The agency's conclusion is documented in a Memo of Findings and Determination and Environmental Checklist.
Since the project involves federal funding, a Federal Environmental Assessment (EA) was undertaken to satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and the Federal Highway Administration issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on July 24, 2018.
If you have questions about the project, you can contact the agency at:
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Name: |
Kevin Fleming, Transportation Planner II |
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Agency: |
Connecticut Department of Transportation, Office of Environmental Planning
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Address: |
2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131 |
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E-Mail: |
Kevin.Fleming@ct.gov |
What happens next: The Connecticut Department of Transportation expects the project to go forward. This is expected to be the final notice of the project to be published in the Environmental Monitor.
2. Post-Scoping Notice for Replacement of Bridge No. 04067 - Cedar Heights Road over Rippowam River
Municipality where project will be located: Stamford
CEPA Determination: On July 11, 2017 the Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this project in the Environmental Monitor. The Department 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 Checklist.
If you have questions about the project, you can contact the agency at:
Name: Kevin Fleming, Transportation Planner II
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Office of Environmental Planning
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
Phone: (860) 594-2924
E-Mail: Kevin.Fleming@ct.gov
What happens next: The Connecticut Department of Transportation 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).
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