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October 8, 2024

Scoping Notice

  1. Notice of Scoping for Fairchild Wheeler Flood Control Project, Fairfield.
  2. Notice of Scoping for Tunxis Hill Park Flood Control Project, Fairfield.
  3. NEW! Notice of Scoping for 45 Meadow Street, Norwalk.
  4. NEW! Cancellation Notice for Neck Road Housing, Old Lyme. 

Scoping Notice - Post-Scoping Notice (Need More Time)

  1. Cancellation Notice for AB Eco Park Project, New Haven and North Haven.

Post-Scoping Notice.

  1. NEW! Post-Scoping Notice for Portland Water Department Development of Public Drinking Water Infrastructure, Portland. 
  2. NEW! Post-Scoping Notice for The Camelot Flats and Lofts, West Hartford. 
  3. NEW! Post-Scoping Notice for Jacks Farm, Cheshire.

Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE)

    No EIE Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.

Agency Record of Decision

    No Record of Decision has been submitted for publication in this edition. 

OPM Determination of Adequacy

    No Determination of Adequacy Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.

State Land Transfer

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

 

The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on October 22, 2024.

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

Inquiries and requests to view or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency.



Scoping Notice

"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. Read More


The following Scoping Notices have been submitted for publication in this edition.


1. Notice of Scoping for Fairchild Wheeler Flood Control Project

Address of possible location: 2390 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield

Municipality where proposed action might be located: Fairfield

Project Description: The Town of Fairfield is planning a flood control project at the Fairchild Wheeler Country Club, owned by the City of Bridgeport and located in Fairfield, Connecticut. To address persistent flooding in the Rooster River watershed, 30 acres of the 312-acre golf course have been identified to provide flood water detention during severe weather events. The project will construct two berms and concrete weirs on the golf course to increase flood storage capacity. Once constructed, the proposed berms would be 300 linear feet, 9.5 ft high, 75’ wide, and 500 linear feet, 6 ft. high and 70 ft. wide.   In 2022 the Town submitted a Dam Safety Permit application to the DEEP’s Dam Safety Division, a 401 Water Quality Certification Application to DEEP’s Land and Water Resources Division, and an Individual Permit application under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to the United States Army Corps of Engineers. DEEP issued a 401 Water Quality Certification/Non-Consumptive Water Diversion Permit for the project on January 9, 2024. The USACE issued a public notice for the project on March 5, 2024. All other authorizations are pending. Permits are required for direct wetland impacts due to berm construction and potential indirect, temporary impact to wetlands during flooding events.  The town of Fairfield may utilize Urban Act grants to fund portions of the project. Full site plans are available for review at the Town of Fairfield Engineering Department or online at www.fairfieldct.org/engineering.  

Project MapClick 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, October 17, 2024

There will be a public scoping meeting for this proposed action:

DATETuesday, October 1, 2024

TIME: 6:00 pm

PLACE: Virtual-Web Link: https://tofit.my.webex.com/join/community

Meeting Number: 126 944 3035

Notes: Participants must REGISTER IN ADVANCE at the email provided here:  RoosterRiver@fairfieldct.org

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting including an option to join by phone.

Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at Fairfield Town Hall, Engineering Department, 725 Old Post Road, Fairfield CT. 

Written comments and/or questions about the public scoping meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, should be directed to:

Name: Charles Lee

Agency: Dam Safety Division, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 

Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106

E-MailCharles.Lee@CT.Gov 

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Name: Charles Lee

Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail: Charles.Lee@CT.Gov

What Happens Next: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will make a determination whether or not to proceed with preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the project does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor


2. Notice of Scoping for Tunxis Hill Park Flood Control Project

Address of possible location: 225 Melville Avenue, Fairfield

Municipality where proposed action might be located: Fairfield

Project Description: The Town of Fairfield is planning a flood control project within the 25.5-acre Tunxis Hill Park, a town-owned property. The purpose of the project is to construct a berm to impound flood water and attenuate flow to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding to properties and public infrastructure in the lower Rooster River watershed. The berm will measure 400-feet long, 60 feet wide and 8-feet high with a 5-foot by 5-foot outlet control structure. The project area is in the Ash Creek subregional watershed within the Rooster River local watershed.  The Town submitted a Dam Safety Permit application to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) Dam Safety Division in 2022, a 401 Water Quality Certificate Application to DEEP's Land and Water Resources Division in 2022, and an Individual Permit application under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 2022. The USACE issued a public notice for the project on March 5, 2024. DEEP issued a 401 WQC for the project on April 24, 2024. All other authorizations are pending. The Town of Fairfield may utilize Urban Act grants to fund portions of the project. Full site plans are available for review at the Town of Fairfield Engineering Department or online at www.fairfieldct.org/engineering. 

Project MapClick 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, October 17, 2024. 

There will be a public scoping meeting for this proposed action:

DATEOctober 1, 2024

TIME: 7:00 pm

PLACE: Virtual Web Link: https://tofit.my.webex.com/join/community

Meeting Number: 126 944 3035

NOTES: Participants MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE at this email: RoosterRiver@fairfieldct.org

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting including an option to join by phone. 

Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at Fairfield Town Hall, Engineering Department, 725 Old Post Road, Fairfield. 

Written comments and/or questions about the public scoping meeting, or other questions about this project, should be sent to:

Name: Charles Lee

Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Address:79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106

E-Mail: Charles.Lee@ct.gov  

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Name: Charles Lee

Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail: Charles.Lee@ct.gov

What Happens Next: The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will make a determination whether to proceed with preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the project does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.


3. Notice of Scoping for 45 Meadow Street

Address of possible location: 45 Meadow Street, Norwalk, CT 06854

Municipality where proposed action might be located: Norwalk

Project Description: Meadow Gardens is a public housing complex built in the 1960s that contains 4 residential buildings with a total of 54 dwelling units and a small community center. The Norwalk Housing Authority (NHA) received approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to demolish Meadow Gardens due to physical obsolescence. The units are now fully vacant. Phase 1 of the redevelopment project (starting November 2024) includes the abatement of hazardous building materials and demolition of all structures. NHA is using a Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Brownfields grant for Phase 1. After demolition, NHA will dispose of the property through a ground-lease. The new construction project will be financed using 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTCs), a Department of Housing (DOH) loan, a bank loan, a sponsor loan, and a DECD Community Investment Fund (CIF) grant. There will be 30 project-based vouchers (PBVs) in the development to help sustain its operations. There will also be 6 Continuum of Care vouchers to provide permanent housing and supportive services to 6 unhoused families. The new construction project consists of 8 residential walk-up buildings and 1 standalone, single-story community center. The residential units are a mix of flats and two-story townhomes. Each unit has a private entry. There will be a total of 59 units, 30 of which will be restricted to 30% of area median income (AMI) and the remaining 29 units to 50% of AMI. The proposed unit mix includes 15 one-bedroom units, 19 two-bedroom units, 18 three-bedroom units, and 7 four-bedroom units. Included in this count are 7 ADA-accessible units. The community center is approximately 4,300 sq. ft. and will house the property manager’s offices, fitness gym, and a Learning Center. The Learning Center is an after-school and all-day summer program for K-5th grade students living at the property. It is operated by the Norwalk Housing Authority and free to families. There will also be a playground, outdoor fitness equipment, and surface parking on site. 
The development will have all electric utilities and be built to EnergyStar requirements. Current plans propose 4-6 electric vehicle charging stations and having the residential buildings be “solar ready.” The lowest lying area of the property is in the 100-year floodplain; however, no structures are being built in the floodplain.

The project received zoning site plan approval in November 2023. A.P. Construction has been procured as Construction Manager/General Contractor and Amenta Emma Architects is lead designer. Plans are currently at 90% construction documents. Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) has approved the project’s Flood Management Certification. The development team is targeting a March 2025 tax credit/DOH closing. The construction timeline is estimated at 18-20 months. 

Project MapClick 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: November 8, 2024. 

Any person may ask the sponsoring agency to hold a public scoping meeting by sending such a request to the address below. If a public scoping 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: October 18, 2024.

Written comments and/or requests for a public scoping meeting should be sent to

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.

Agency: Connecticut Dept. of Housing 

Address: 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail: mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.

Agency: Connecticut Dept. of Housing 

Address: 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail: mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov


What Happens Next:
 The sponsoring agency will make a determination whether to proceed with preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the project does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.


 4. Cancellation Notice for Neck Road Housing

Address of possible location: 16 Neck Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371

Municipality where it would have been located: Old Lyme

Agency Determination: The Department of Housing has decided to cancel the project, as described the last time a notice appeared in the Environmental Monitor on May 8, 2018, because of issues unrelated to the environmental review requirements of the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA), including but not limited to, funding and approvals disintegration. 

Agency contact:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.

Agency: Connecticut Dept. of Housing 

Address: 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Phone: 860-270-8230

E-Mail: mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov 

What Happens Next: The proposed project is cancelled. Should the project be proposed at a future date, the CEPA process will be initiated again with a new Scoping Notice announcing that intent.


Scoping Notice - Post-Scoping Notice (Need More Time)

If an agency is unable to publish a Post-Scoping Notice within six months after the comment period for scoping, the agency will publish an update with an action status and an estimate as to when a Post-Scoping Notice will be published. Such an update will be published by the agency at six-month intervals until the Post-Scoping Notice is published. Read More


The following notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.


1. Cancellation Notice for AB Eco Park Project

Addresses of possible locations: 250 Universal Drive, North Haven CT 06473 (Parcel ID 001 00) and Middletown Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 (Parcel ID 150 1300 00100)

Municipalities where it would have been located: North Haven and New Haven

Agency Determination: The Department of Economic and Community Development has decided to cancel the AB Eco Park Project, as described the last time a notice appeared in the Environmental Monitor on July 2nd, 2024, because of issues unrelated to the environmental review requirements of the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA).   The scope of the redevelopment project has changed.  A Waste Reclamation Facility and a Carbon Negative Power Plant are no longer anticipated on the project parcels.  Future potential end uses and redevelopment options are under consideration but none have been finalized.  DECD funding will be used only for assessment and remediation activities which does not trigger scoping. 

Agency contact:

Name: Gregory Ambros

Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development

Address: 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103

Phone:860.500.2363

E-Mail: Gregory.Ambros@ct.gov

What Happens Next: The proposed project is cancelled. Should the project be proposed at a future date, the CEPA process will be initiated again with a new Scoping Notice announcing that intent.


Post-Scoping Notice

A Post-Scoping Notice is the determination by a sponsoring agency, after publication of a Scoping Notice and consideration of comments received, whether an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) needs to be prepared for a proposed State action. Read More


The following Post-Scoping Notices have been submitted for publication in this edition.


1. Post-Scoping Notice for Portland Water Department Development of Public Drinking Water Infrastructure

Address of Possible Project Location: 301 Gospel Lane, Portland, Connecticut

Municipality where it would be located: Portland

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) Determination: On August 6, 2024, the Department of Public Health (DPH) published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this proposed project in the Environmental Monitor. Comments were received from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) on September 6, 2024, during the comment period. The applicant provided Responses to DEEP on September 12, 2024. DPH has reviewed DEEP’s Comments and the applicant’s responses. DPH’s assessment of DEEP’s comments and the applicant’s responses are included in the Environmental Review Checklist.

After consideration of the comments and responses received, the DPH has determined: the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) under the CEPA. The agency’s conclusion is documented in a DPH Memorandum of Findings and an Environmental Review Checklist.

Agency contact:

Name: Eric McPhee
Agency: 
Department of Public Health, Drinking Water Section
Address:
 410 Capitol Avenue, MS #12DWS, PO Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Phone:
 860-509-7333
E-Mail:
 DPH.SourceProtection@ct.gov 

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Agency: Department of Public Health, Hearing Office
Website:
 https://dphct.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_rs/
Phone:
 860-566-5682
E-Mail:
 DPH.FOI@ct.gov

What Happens Next: The DPH expects the project to go forward. This is anticipated to be the final notice of the project to be published in the Environmental Monitor.


2. Post-Scoping Notice for The Camelot Flats and Lofts

Address of Possible Project Location: 900 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut

Municipality where it would be located: West Hartford

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) Determination: On 8 August 2023, the Department of Housing published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this proposed project in the Environmental Monitor.

Comments were received during the public comment period. The DOH’s responses to the comments received are here.

After consideration of the comments received, the DOH has determined: the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) under the CEPA. The agency’s conclusion is documented in a Memo of Findings and Determination and an Environmental Review Checklist.

Agency contact:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: 
Connecticut Dept. of Housing;
Address:
 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Phone:
 860-270-8230
E-Mail:
 mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov 

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: 
Connecticut Dept. of Housing 
Address:
 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Phone:
 860-270-8230
E-Mail:
 mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov 

What Happens Next: The DOH expects the project to go forward. This is expected to be the final notice of the project to be published in the Environmental Monitor.


3. Post-Scoping Notice for Jacks Farm

Address of Possible Project Location:  1538 South Main Street, Cheshire. Connecticut 06410

Municipality where it would be located: Cheshire

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) Determination: On March 19, 2024, the Department of Housing published a Notice of Scoping to solicit public comments for this proposed project in the Environmental Monitor.

Comments were received during the public comment period. The DOH’s responses to the comments received are here.

After consideration of the comments received, the DOH has determined: the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) under the CEPA. The agency’s conclusion is documented in a Memo of Findings and Determination and an Environmental Review Checklist.

Agency contact:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: 
CT Department of Housing
Address:
 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Phone:
 860-270-8230
E-Mail:
 mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov 

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:

Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: 
 CT Department of Housing
Address:
 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Phone:
 860-270-8230
E-Mail:
 mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov 

What Happens Next: The DOH expects the project to go forward.  This is expected to be the final notice of the project to be published in the Environmental Monitor.


EIE Notice

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)Read More


No EIE Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.



Agency Record of Decision

After an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) is developed, an agency will prepare a concise public record of decision, which takes into consideration the agency’s findings in the EIE, and any comments received on that evaluation. Read More 


No Record of Decision Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.



OPM's Determination of Adequacy

After an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) and record of decision are developed, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) will determine if the EIE and the associated process are adequate. If not, OPM will specify the areas of inadequacy with reference to CEPA or the CEPA regulations and specify the corrective action required. Read More 


No Determination of Adequacy Notice has been submitted for publication in this edition.



State Land Transfer Notice

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.



CEPA Project Inventory

The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) maintains a list of projects that have entered the CEPA process. It shows each project's status. The inventory can be found here.


CEQ Contact Information

All inquiries and requests of the Council should be sent electronically to: ceq@ct.gov.


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