NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT AND NEW HAVEN PORT AUTHORITY CONTINUE STUDY PROCESS FOR DEEPENING PROJECT

The Corps of Engineers New England District and the New Haven Port Authority held an open comment period through February 23 for the New Haven Navigation Improvement Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The two held a public meeting on January 24 in New Haven Connecticut.

The main channel maneuvering area and turning basin areas need deepening to accommodate more and larger ships that now must light load or delay for tides. In July 2007 the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed a resolution authorizing the New England District to conduct a feasibility study and EIS for the project. The non-federal sponsor for the study is the New Haven Port Authority along with the Connecticut State Port Authority.

The study will examine alternatives for various incremental channel depths and widths based upon need and various dredging methodologies. It will also evaluate dredged material disposal alternatives for beneficial uses such as marsh creation beach nourishment as well as open water placement and upland placement.

A meeting later this year will present and discuss potential project alternatives. The Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and EIS is scheduled for completion in April 2018.