Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

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train passing wetlands

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITOR
The official site for project information under
the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act

May 6, 2008
Scoping Notices
   1. New! Improvements to the Merritt Parkway/Route 7/Main Interchange, Norwalk
   2. New! Construction of Two Classroom Buildings, Storrs
   3. New! Danbury Branch Rail Line Alternatives Analysis, Fairfield and Litchfield Counties
Environmental Impact Evaluations
   1. Town of Oxford Road Infrastructure Project
State Land Transfers

   1. Killingworth Property

The next issue will be published on May 20, 2008.
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Scoping Notices
Scoping Notices have been issued for the following state projects.  These projects are 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 Improvements to the Merritt Parkway/Route 7/Main Avenue Interchange

Municipality where proposed project will be located: Norwalk, CT

Project Description: Reconstruction/Improvements to the Merritt Parkway/Route 7 and Main Avenue Interchange.   

Project Maps: Click here to view map one of two

                     Click here to view map two of two

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  Friday, June 13, 2008. 

There will be a Public Scoping Meeting for this project at: The Norwalk City Hall

DATE:    Thursday May 29, 2008

TIME:    6:30 for the open house

            7:30 for the presentation

PLACE:  Norwalk City Hall 125 East Avenue Norwalk, CT

NOTES:  Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at the Connecticut Department of Transportation Headquarters at the address below

Name: Ms. Jennifer Sweeney
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Tel: 860-594-3227
E-Mail:

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

Name: Mr. Keith T. Hall - Transportation Supervising Planner
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-2926
Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail: Keith.Hall@po.state.ct.us

The agency expects to release a Draft Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, inDecember, 2008.

2. Notice of Scoping for Construction of Two Academic Buildings, Storrs

Municipality where proposed project might be located :  University of Connecticut

Address of Possible Project Location: Fairfield Way, Storrs, CT

Project Description: The University of Connecticut plans to construct:  1) a 136,000 square foot LEED Silver certified classroom and academic office building at the location of the former UConn Co-op, and 2) a 60,000 square foot LEED Silver certified classroom building at the location of the former Pharmacy Building.  These buildings will house the Social Sciences and Humanities programs of Journalism, Modern and Classical Languages, Political Science, Economics, Linguistics, and Communications Sciences.

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 June 16, 2008.

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

DATE: June 11, 2008

TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

PLACE: Merlin D. Bishop Center, Room 7, One Bishop Circle, Storrs CT

NOTES:

Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at: UConn, OEP, 31 LeDoyt Road, Storrs, CT

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

Name: Paul Ferri
Agency: University of Connecticut
Office of Environmental Policy
Address: 31 LeDoyt Road , Unit 3055
Storrs, CT 06269-3055
Fax: (860) 486-5477
E-Mail: paul.ferri@uconn.edu

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

Name: Paul Ferri
Agency: University of Connecticut
Office of Environmental Policy
Address: 31 LeDoyt Road , Unit 3055
Storrs, CT 06269-3055
Phone: (860) 486-9295
Fax: (860) 486-5477
E-Mail: paul.ferri@uconn.edu

The agency expects to release an Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, inDecember 2008.

Other information:

3. Notice of Scoping -Danbury Branch Rail Line Alternatives Analysis

Municipalities where proposed project will be located: New Milford, Brookfield, Danbury, Bethel, Redding, Ridgefield , Wilton, Norwalk

Project Description: The project is for proposed improvements to the Danbury Branch of the New Haven Rail Line, an existing single-track railroad between South Norwalk and Danbury, approximately 23.6 miles in length, which is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the possible extension of passenger service on about 14.3 miles of existing single track railroad between Danbury and New Milford , which is owned by the Housatonic Railroad Company, Inc. The study will occur in the counties of Fairfield and Litchfield.

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:July 25, 2008.

Public Scoping Meetings for this study have been scheduled as follows:

  •       June 17, 2008: New Milford Town Hall (Paul Martin Conference. Room), 10 Main Street New Milford, CT.
  •       June 18, 2008: Wilton Town Hall (Annex Building Meeting Room A), 238 Danbury Road , Wilton, CT 
  •       June 19, 2008: Ridgefield Town Hall (Large Conference Room), 400 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

The study team will be available at 6:00 p.m., at each of these public meetings, with a brief presentation beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Written comments may be adderssed to:

Name: Mr. Carmine P. Trotta
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Tel:

860-594-2157

If you have questions about the public meeting, wish to review additional information, or have other questions about the scoping for this project, contact:

Name: Mr. Andrew Davis
Agency: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Phone:

860-594-2157

Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail: Andrew.H.Davis@po.state.ct.us

The agency expects to release a Draft Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, in July,2011.

EIE Notices
The following Environmental Impact Evaluations (EIEs) have been completed by state agencies and are available for review and comment. 
 

1. Notice of EIE for Town of Oxford Road Infrastructure Project

Municipality  where the project is proposed: Town of Oxford, CT

Address of the possible project location: Northern sector of the Town in proximity to I-84 and Waterbury-Oxford Airport

Project Description: The Town of Oxford is planning several road and related infrastructure projects to enhance the Town’s attractiveness for economic development around the Oxford Airport.  The road improvements would provide improved transportation access in the airport vicinity to the commercial and industrially zoned land. The Town has expressed plans to pursue state and federal funding for these infrastructure projects. The first of these will consist of E. Commerce Drive which will connect to the Oxford Airport road system. 

Project Maps:   click here to view a map of the project area

                        click here to view a map of the proposed roads

There is no public hearing scheduled for this EIE :  DECD will hold a public hearing if twenty-five persons or an association having not less than twenty-five persons requests such a hearing by May 2, 2008 (per CGS sec. 22-1d)

Comments on this EIE will be accepted from April 22, 2008 until the close of business on:  June 6, 2008

The public can view a copy of this EIE which will be available from April 15, 2008 at:

  •      S.B. Church Memorial Town Hall,  486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478
  •     First Selectmen’s Office, 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478
  •       Town Clerk’s Office, 486 Oxford Road, Oxford , CT 06478
  •     Oxford Public Library, 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478
  •     DECD, 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Send your comments about this EIE to :

Name: Maya Loewenberg
Agency: Economic and Community Development
Address: 505 Hudson, Hartford, CT 06106-7106 
Fax: 860-270-8157
E-Mail: maya.loewenberg@po.state.ct.us

State Land Transfer Notices
Properties listed below are scheduled for transfer out of state ownership. Pursuant to CGS Section 4b-47[(PA 07-213 sec. 7)] the agency transferring the property is asking for comments from other agencies and from the public as to environmentally significant aspects of the property, including natural and recreational resources, that should be considered prior to a final decision.  Send your comments to the contact person listed for the project by the date indicated.
 

1. Notice of Proposed Land Transfer - Killingworth

Complete Address of Property: 146 Chestnut Hill Road, Killingworth, CT


Number of acres to be transferred: 0.69 acres

Click to view map of property location (PDF, 4 MB) Click here for jpeg (540 KB)

Description of Property

Below is some general information about the property.  It should not be considered a complete description of the property and should not be relied upon for making decisions.  If only a portion of a property is proposed for transfer, the description pertains only to the portion being transferred.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses: The property is currently vacant.  It was formerly the location of a cell tower for the Department of Public Safety.

The property to be transferred contains the following:
 Buildings in use
Buildings not in use
Wooded land

 Nonagricultural fields

 Active agriculture
 Paved areas
 Ponds, streams or other water

Water Supply:   Public water supply   On-site well    Unknown
Waste Disposal:    Served by sewers    On-site septic system    Unknown


Click to view aerial view of property (PDF, 2 MB) Click here for jpeg (540 KB)
The Locational Guide Map of the Connecticut Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut identifies the property as being in the following category(ies):
 Regional Center
Neighborhood Conservation Area
Growth Area
 Rural Community Center
 Rural Area
 Conservation Area
 Preservation Area
 Existing Preserved Open Space

The property is in the following municipal zone(s):

Not zoned
Residential
Industrial
 Commercial
 Institutional
 Other: 
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: Under the applicable zone, this property is not an approved building lot.


Value of property, if known: $25,000.00 per appraisal dated May 29, 2006.
If checked, value is not known.
Type of Sale or Transfer:
 Sale or transfer of property in fee

Sale or transfer of partial interest in the property (such as an easement).  Description of interest:

Proposed recipient, if known: Peter and Terry Stockman

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: Merge into their property which adjoins this property.

The agency is proposing to transfer the property with the following restrictions on future uses:
 If checked, the state is not currently proposing restrictions on future uses.

Reason the State of Connecticut is proposing to transfer this property: The State has deemed the property surplus, since the property is no longer needed for communication tower use and no re-use proposals were received by other State agencies.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on May 8, 2008

Comments may include information that you have about significant natural resources or recreation resources on the property, as well as your recommendations for means to preserve such resources.

Written comments* should be sent to:

Name:

Patrick O'Brien

Title:

 Planning Specialist

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue MS#52 ASP
Hartford, CT 06106-1379

E-Mail:

 Patrick.Obrien@ct.gov

*E-Mail submissions are preferred.

What Happens Next

When this comment period closes, the proposed land transfer can take one of three tracks:

1.   If no public comments are received, the sale or transfer can proceed with no further public comment and no further notices in the Environmental Monitor, unless the Department of Environmental Protection elects to conduct a review of the property (see #3).

2.   If public comments are received, the Office of Policy and Management will respond to those comments.  The comments and responses will be published in the Environmental Monitor.  Fifteen days after publication of the comments and responses, the proposed sale or transfer can proceed, unless the Department of Environmental Protection elects to conduct a review of the property (see #3).

3.   If the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) elects to conduct a further review of the property, it may submit to the Office of Policy and Management a report with recommendations for preserving all or part of the property.  The report and recommendations will be published in the Environmental Monitor, and there will be a 30-day public comment period.  The DEP will publish its responses to any comments received and its final recommendation about the property in the Environmental Monitor.  The Office of Policy and Management will then make the final determination as to the ultimate disposition of the property, and will publish that determination in the Environmental Monitor.  Fifteen days after publication of that final determination, the sale or transfer can proceed.


To find out if this proposed transfer is the subject of further notices, check future editions of the Environmental Monitor.  Sign up for e-alerts to receive a reminder e-mail on publication dates.

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Copyright 2006, Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality