New England District team members traveled to Connecticut to listen to public testimony on the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report (DIFR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the New Haven Harbor Navigation Improvement Project.
All testimony, whether given at the meetings or written and submitted, are all taken into consideration and given equal weight.
The team held two public hearings. The first was held on Oct. 23 at the Bailey Middle School in West Haven and the second on Oct. 24 at the city of New Haven Hall of Records in New Haven.
Assembling to give overviews of the proposed project and to listen to the comments and concerns of the public were John Kennelly, Chief, Planning Division, Mark Habel, Chief Navigation and Environmental Studies Section, Planning Division, Barbara Blumeris, Project Manager, and Todd Randall, Marine Ecologist. Erika Mark, Project Management, Lisa Winter, Engineering Division and Caitlyn Bryant of Jacksonville District were also in attendance.
The New England team was joined by project partners Judi Sheiffele, Executive Director, New Haven Port Authority and Evan Matthews, Executive Director, Connecticut Port Authority.
The Oct. 23 hearing had 22 people attend with five people electing to speak. The Oct. 24 hearing had 23 attendees with six people getting up to speak.
The proposed project consists of deepening the main ship channel, maneuvering area and turning basin to -40 feet mean low low water (MLLW) and widening the main ship channel and turning basin to allow larger vessels to efficiently access the port of New Haven’s terminals, according to a New England District fact sheet. The proposed improvement would remove about 4.28 million cubic yards of predominantly glacial deposited silts from the federal channel. Additionally, approximately 43,500 cubic yards of rock would be blasted and removed from the channel.
In her remarks, Sheiffele said that the partners have been working on the DIFR/EIS for the past three years. “We look forward to the end of this phase and looking on to what will probably be a more challenging phase – trying to get reauthorization and funding,” she said.
Matthews said the project is entirely consistent with the Port Authority’s overall goals. “We look forward to hearing the public input in person at these hearings and online, and I’m confident you will take these public comments into account as you finalize your plans.”
Kennelly served as Hearing Officer for the public hearings. He thanked the audience for coming out to participate. “By conducting these public hearings, we, the Corps of Engineers, continue to fulfill our requirement to seek public comment and input relative to the New Haven Harbor Navigation Impact study,” he said. “While no decision will be made tonight, we welcome your comments.”
Following Kennelly’s remarks Blumeris and Randall provided a complete and detailed overview of the project. Mark Habel, hearing moderator, reviewed the hearing procedures before opening up the hearing to comments.
Five people made remarks at the Oct. 23 hearing. Michael Pimer was one of the speakers and suggested locating some of the blasted material to the breakwater at Sandy Point and made other recommendations he would like to see in the project.
Joe Gilbert of Empire Fisheries, spoke on behalf of Briar Patch Enterprises. He agreed that the project was important for New Haven, but his company had concerns about impacts the project could have outside the navigational channel.
Kathy Hebert, representing the West River Watershed Coalition and the West Haven Watershed Restoration Committee, had concerns about an oyster bed and the Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary.
On Oct. 24, speakers included Allison Dodge of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s Office, who read a statement on the Congresswoman’s behalf. In her remarks, she thanked the District for completing the DIFR/EIS and after reading the report, she said she supported the project overall but had some concerns she planned on submitting to the District before the comment deadline.
“I have long advocated for this infrastructure upgrade, and look forward to working with the Corps, the New Haven Port Authority and the Connecticut Port Authority to move this project forward.”
Resident John Cox said he was pleased with the report. “I applaud this move on the part of the Corps, and support your initiative,” he said. “I think this project is good for New Haven’s economy, and it’s also good for the environment in Morris Cove. So thank you very much."
The New England District team accepted comments on the report through Nov. 15.
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2018 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 304312 |
| Location: | NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, District team listens to comments on New Haven Harbor Report, by AnnMarie Harvie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
