CONCORD, Mass. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District and the permit applicant have postponed a public hearing that had been scheduled for Dec. 7, 2017 in Waterford on the Niantic Bay Shellfish Farm, LLC proposal to assess the development of shellfish aquaculture in the Niantic River in Waterford, Conn.

The work proposed is the subject of an initial public notice issued by the Corps of Engineers on Aug. 1, 2017 for the installation of racks, bags, cages, trays and associated Aids to Navigation to assess commercial feasibility for shellfish aquaculture at a 6.41-acre location in the Niantic River on the eastern portion of Squall Flats, northwest of Mago Point.

If another public hearing is scheduled the Corps will provide that information at a later date.

The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the U.S. The public notice can be viewed on the Corps website at www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.

Public comments on this notice (file # NAE-2017-00205) should be submitted by Dec. 21, 2017 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Cori Rose), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Cori Rose at 978-318-8306 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: cori.m.rose@usace.army.mil.