Open House, Public Hearing
On Landfill Closure, January 27
The University will host an open house and public hearing on Thursday, Jan. 27, in Bishop Center Room 7, to complete public review of plans for closure of a former landfill and chemical pits on the Storrs campus.
The open house, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., will introduce the construction manager for the closure plan, O&G Industries of Torrington. The DEP project manager and members of UConn’s technical consulting team will also respond to questions about the wetlands restoration and permits.
After the open house, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will hold an administrative hearing at 6:30 p.m. on UConn’s permit applications to work in wetlands areas of the campus during the construction. DEP staff and UConn will present information in support of the wetlands application and accept comments from the public.
UConn submitted permit applications and a Wetlands Mitigation Plan and other documents to the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and DEP last June. After a four-year investigation and public involvement process, DEP approved the UConn Landfill Closure Plan last fall. The mitigation plan was developed in consultation with DEP, ACOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The mitigation plan includes restoration, creation and enhancement of wetlands in the construction area.
For 10 years after the mitigation, UConn will submit annual monitoring reports on the wetlands to state and federal agencies. For a summary of the Wetlands Mitigation Plan, see the October 2004 UConn Update online.
Copies of the Wetland Mitigation Plan are available at the Mansfield Town Manager’s office, at UConn Facilities, in the Mansfield Public Library, and at DEP in Hartford. Recent project publications and more information about wetlands can be found on the project website.
Plans to start construction will be announced after DEP has completed review of the permits and wetlands mitigation plan.
