CONCORD, Mass. – Sachem’s Head Yacht Club 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 authorizing existing docks and mooring fields, and stone groin repair at the facility in Guilford, Conn.
The project includes work in navigable waters to repair an existing stone groin and authorize existing dock structures. The project is located in Long Island Sound on a small island accessed via a pedestrian bridge from 61 Chimney Corner Circle in Guilford.
The applicant is seeking to maintain existing sections of seasonal floating docks on the eastern side of the island, maintain various-sized existing seasonal floating docks on the northern side of the island, maintain an existing pier and ramp and floating docks on the northwestern corner of the property, maintain existing floating docks north off of the shoreline of the pier, and conduct maintenance to the existing stone groin off of the northwestern corner of the island. The applicant also proposes to retain and authorize 128 moorings (and two transient moorings) located in the adjacent Sachem Head Harbor and 20 moorings located in Joshua Cove Harbor.
The project may adversely impact some shellfish beds. However, the Corps has made a preliminary determination that the site-specific adverse effect will not be substantial. Further consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding EFH conservation recommendations is being conducted and will be concluded prior to the final permit decision.
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 United States; and 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, can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
Public comments on this work by Sachem’s Head Yacht Club (file # NAE- 2011-1972) should be forwarded no later than Sept. 6, 2013 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Lindsay Flieger), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Lindsay Flieger at 978-318-8656 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: lindsay.flieger@usace.army.mil.