All News Releases By Date

Federal Government Proposes Two Sites in Long Island Sound for Disposal of Dredged Material – Public Review and Comment Sought

Release Date: 09/12/2003
Contact Information: David Deegan, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1017

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (New England District) today released a report that recommends the designation of two dredged material disposal sites in the western and central regions of the Long Island Sound.

The draft environmental impact statement (EIS) identifies the Western Long Island Sound and Central Long Island Sound sites as the preferred long-term disposal sites for Long Island Sound. The two sites are located in Connecticut waters approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of Stamford and 5.6 nautical miles south of East Haven, respectively. The sites were selected from among four sites that were evaluated. The two sites not selected in the proposal are located in Connecticut waters south of Milford and Bridgeport, Conn.

EPA and the Corps will conduct two public hearings to solicit comments on the draft report. The first will be held on Sept. 30 in Stony Brook, N.Y., and the second hearing will be on Oct. 1 in Stamford, Conn.

The draft EIS was prepared by the New England office of EPA, in cooperation with the New England District of the Corps, in response to the need for a long-term disposal site for dredged material from rivers and harbors in the central and western regions of Long Island Sound. The report was prepared in accordance with federal laws requiring an evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of designating open-water dredged material disposal sites in Long Island Sound and of alternatives for disposing dredged material.

The Western Long Island Sound and Central Long Island Sound sites are both active dredged material disposal sites. The western site is a rectangular area 1.2 by 1.3 nautical miles in size. The central site is also a rectangular area about two-by-one nautical miles. The alternative sites off Bridgeport and Milford are both inactive historic dredged material disposal sites.

Studies found that the potential for erosion was highest at Bridgeport and Milford and the potential for water quality impacts was greatest for the Milford site.

Work on the EIS began in 1999 when the federal government published its intent to designate one or more dredged disposal sites 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 designated for long-term use.

In 2002 the scope of the project was modified from all of Long Island Sound to just the central and western portion of Long Island Sound. Review of the eastern region was deferred until completion of the first phase of the project, which is scheduled for mid-2004.

The draft study, including the site monitoring and management plans (SMMPs), is available for public review and comment for 45 days. The comment period closes on Monday, Oct. 27.

EPA and the Corps will hold two public hearings to receive comments on the study. They will be:

Each day, two sessions will be held. For session one, registration is at noon, and the hearing will be from 1-4 p.m. Registration for the second session will be 6 p.m., and the hearing will begin at 7 p.m.

Electronic copies of these documents and various support documents are available on the EPA home page at: https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/, or on EPA New England - Region 1's homepage at: https://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/lisdreg . Additionally, copies of the study and site monitoring plans and management plans are available at the following locations: