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News Releases from Region 1

Public Comment Period Extended, Additional Hearing To Be Held on Proposed Sites in Long Island Sound for Disposal of Dredged Material

Release date: 10/07/2003

Contact Information: David Deegan, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1017 Tim Dugan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 978-318-8264

To increase the opportunity for public comment on a proposal to designate two sites in the western and central regions of the Long Island Sound for dredged material disposal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-New England District are extending the public comment period for three additional weeks, until Nov. 17. Also, an additional public hearing on the proposed sites will be held on Nov. 13 in Stamford.

  • A draft environmental impact statement (EIS), released by EPA and the Corps on Sept. 12, identifies two sites, one in western and one in central Long Island Sound, as the preferred long-term dredged material disposal sites within the Sound. The two proposed sites, located in Connecticut waters approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of Stamford and 5.6 nautical miles south of East Haven, respectively, are both currently active dredged material disposal sites. The western site is a rectangular area 1.2 by 1.3 nautical miles in size, while the central site is a rectangular area about two-by-one nautical miles.
  • The draft EIS was prepared by EPA''s New England office, in cooperation with the New England District of the Corps, in response to the need for long-term disposal sites for dredged material from rivers and harbors in the central and western regions of Long Island Sound. Of the four sites evaluated for this designation, the two not preferred for disposal of dredged material are also located in Conn. waters, south of Milford and Bridgeport, respectively. The Bridgeport and Milford locations are both inactive historic dredged material disposal sites. The draft EIS found that potential for erosion was high at both sites, and potential water quality impacts were high at the Milford site.
  • Public comments on the draft EIS will be accepted until Monday, Nov. 17 at 5:00 p.m. Comments may be submitted in writing or electronically. The draft environmental impact statement is available both on line and at several locations throughout the Long Island Sound geographic region. To access the document electronically, and for detailed instructions on submitting comments, see: http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/lisdreg.
  • The additional public hearing on this proposal will be held on Thurs. Nov. 13, at the Westin Stamford (One First Stamford Place, Stamford, Conn.06902, (203) 967-2222, http://www.westin.com). Registration for the hearing will begin at 3:00 p.m., and the hearing will be held between 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
  • Work on the EIS began in 1999 when the federal government published its intent to designate one or more disposal sites for dredged materials in Long Island Sound. Periodic dredging and disposal of dredged material is necessary to maintain safe navigation and marine commerce. There presently are no disposal sites in Long Island Sound designated for long-term use. In 2002 the draft EIS was modified from all of Long Island Sound to the central and western portions of the sound. Review of the eastern region is deferred until completion of the first phase of the project, which is scheduled for mid-2004.
  • Copies of the draft EIS, the Executive Summary and Site Management and Monitoring Plans are available at the following locations:
    • EPA New England Library
      One Congress Street, Suite 1100
      Boston, MA 02114-2023
    • Boston Public Library (at Copley Square)
      700 Boylston Street
      Boston, MA 02116
    • New York State Library
      Document Section
      Cultural Education Center, 6th Floor
      Empire State Plaza
      Madison Avenue
      Albany, New York 12230
    • East Bridgeport Public Library
      925 Broad Street
      Bridgeport, CT 06604-4871
    • Information Service Division
      Conn. State Library, 6th Fl.
      231 Capital Ave.
      Hartford, CT 06106
    • Milford City Library
      57 New Haven Ave.
      Milford, CT 06460-3345
    • Mamaroneck Public Library Inc.
      136 Prospect Ave.
      Mamaroneck, NY 10543
    • New London Public Library
      63 Huntington Street
      New London, CT 06320-6194
    • Port Jefferson Free Library
      100 Thompson Street
      Port Jefferson, NY 11777
    • Norwalk Public Library
      1 Belden Ave.
      Norwalk, CT 06850-3397
    • New Haven Free Public Library
      133 Elm Street
      New Haven, CT 06510-2057
    • Acton Public Library
      60 Old Boston Post Road
      Old Saybrook, CT 06475-2200
    • Ferguson Library
      752 High Ridge Road
      Stamford, CT 06905-2308
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