CONCORD, Mass. – The Vermont Agency of Transportation is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with installing temporary causeways beneath the I-89 northbound and southbound bridges in Colchester, Vermont.

This work is proposed at the confluence of Lake Champlain and Malletts Creek at the Interstate 89 northbound and southbound bridge crossings in Colchester.

The proposed work involves the placement of temporary fill material in a total of 9,770 square feet (0.22 acre) of waters of the U.S. in conjunction with the installation of temporary causeways beneath the I-89 northbound and southbound bridges (Bridge No. 77 N&S) in Colchester. The temporary causeways will allow for crane access and catchment of large debris dropped during demolition and replacement of the existing deficient bridge decks.

The temporary riprap fill for the causeways will be placed on top of geotextile fabric, over the existing riprapped banks of the waterway and into the currently unarmored channel. The purpose of the project is to replace existing deteriorating bridge decks to protect the safety of the traveling public. All project impacts are temporary in nature, therefore no mitigation is required.

The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, can be viewed on the Corps website at www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.

Public comments on this work proposed by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (file # NAE-2016-02126) should be forwarded no later than Jan. 12, 2018 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Vermont Project Office (ATTN: Angela Repella), 11 Lincoln Street, Room 210, Essex Junction, Vermont. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Angela Repella at 802-872-2893 or 978-318-8639 or by email to: angela.c.repella@usace.army.mil.