CONCORD, Mass. – Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the United States in conjunction with construction of a new gas transmission line in St. Albans and Georgia, Vermont.

Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., is proposing to place fill material in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with the construction of 7.95 miles of a new 16-inch natural gas transmission line within an existing corridor between existing Gate Stations off Nason Street in St. Albans and Sandy Birch Road in Georgia, Vermont.

The right-of-way from St. Albans to Georgia is currently cleared to a width of approximately 50 feet for the existing 10-inch gas transmission line that provides service to the Burlington area. The new line will be installed in a trench generally offset 10 feet from the existing line and will cross 9,511 linear feet of wetland and 20 streams. Approximately 11.92 acres of wetlands and approximately 0.38 acre of stream bottom will be temporarily impacted by the trench, sidecast material and construction mats. All temporary fills will be removed in their entirety upon project completion and disposed of at an upland, non-wetland location. Approximately 0.10 acre of wetland and 0.001 acre of steam will be impacted by mechanized tree clearing within the right-of-way.

The purpose of the proposed project is to increase gas reliability to existing customers and to increase gas capacity to provide natural gas to new customers.   

The application for the federal permit was filed by Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., 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 can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil. Select Regulatory and then public notices.
                                                                 

Public comments on this proposed work by Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., (File # NAE-2006-0550) should be forwarded no later than Oct. 11, 2012 to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Vermont Project Office (ATTN: Michael Adams), 8 Carmichael Street, Suite 205, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452. Additional information is available from Corps’ Regulatory Division Permit Project Manager Michael Adams at 802-872-2893 or by email to michael.s.adams@usace.army.mil.