CONCORD, Mass. – The city of Portland/Portland International Jetport are 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 improvements to the Portland International Jetport in Portland and South Portland, Maine.
The city of Portland proposes to fill approximately 1.26 acres and selectively clear another 0.5 acre of freshwater wetlands adjacent to the Fore River and Long Creek in Portland and South Portland in order to implement improvements for the Portland International Jetport.
Regulated activities on site include the construction of a long-term airplane holding, de-icing, and overnight storage apron west of the current de-icing pad and de-icing fluid recovery area; and the relocation of the eastern end of Taxiway A. These improvements are intended to enhance safety and operational efficiency at the Jetport. They are included in a list of improvements that will occur as part of a 2018 Sustainable Airport Master Plan that do not otherwise affect jurisdictional waters.
The selective clearing of forested wetlands will occur on Jetport property located off site, off Dawson Street and I-295, at South Portland and is intended to clear potential obstructions to approaching or departing aircraft. Potential hazard trees will be cut and removed without removing the stumps or otherwise disturbing soils.
In anticipation of unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources, the applicant is proposing compensatory mitigation and agreed to compensate for the project's unavoidable wetland impacts with funding toward Maine's Natural Resources Conservation Fund (In Lieu Fee Program). The applicant is proposing this compensation seeking to lessen the project's impacts. The Corps is seeking comments on this proposal from the interested or affected public as well as those agencies who speak to the public interest. After receipt of the comments, the Corps will obtain any necessary additional information from the applicant and determine whether the proposed compensation is practicable and serves to adequately mitigate this project's unavoidable impacts.
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 work proposed by the city of Portland, 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 city of Portland (file # NAE-2008-00053) should be forwarded no later than Jan. 10, 2019 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division, Maine Project Office (ATTN: Jay Clement), 442 Civic Center Drive, Suite 350, Augusta, Maine, 04330. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Jay Clement at 207-623-8367, ext. 1 or by email to: jay.l.clement@usace.army.mil.