CONCORD, Mass. – Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., of Burlington, Vermont, 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 gas transmission lines from Colchester to Middlebury, Vermont.

The purpose of the proposed project is to increase gas reliability to existing customers within Chittenden County and extend gas service to Addison County new customers.  

Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., proposes to place fill material in and drill beneath U.S. waters in conjunction with the installation of 41.1 miles of a new 12-inch natural gas transmission line, 5.1 miles of 6-inch distribution mainlines, and 4.7 miles of local distribution lines from Colchester to Middlebury. The proposed work will impact temporarily about 23.52 acres of waters of the U.S. The planned construction of three new gate stations and five new mainline valve sites will not impact waters of the U.S.

The transmission line and the distribution mainlines will be installed within a 50-foot to 75-foot wide corridor using a combination of existing overhead utility, roadway and new rights-of-way (ROW).  All temporary fills will be removed in their entirety upon project completion and disposed of at an upland, non-wetland location.

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; and 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, with more detailed information, can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.

Public comments on this work proposed by Vermont Gas Systems, Inc. (File # NAE-2012-0123) should be forwarded no later than Jan. 24, 2014 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Vermont Project Office (ATTN: Michael Adams), 11 Lincoln Street, Room 210, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Michael Adams at 802-872-2893 or 978-318-8485 or by email to michael.s.adams@usace.army.mil.