CONCORD, Mass. – The Edgewood 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 constructing a new clubhouse to replace the former one in Cranston, Rhode Island.

The work is proposed in the Providence River off of Shaw Avenue in Cranston. The Edgewood Yacht Club is proposing to construct and maintain a new clubhouse over the water to replace the 106-year-old clubhouse which burned down in January 2011. The new clubhouse is proposed to be built in the same approximate location of the former clubhouse.

The original clubhouse footprint was approximately  6,900 square feet. The proposed new clubhouse would be supported on pilings in the intertidal zone between mean high and mean low water in the approximate location of the original structure. The proposed new clubhouse would be a 2,025-square-foot facility located over the water. There is no dredging or filling proposed. There is no new work proposed for the existing pier or the float system. There is no salt marsh or eelgrass at the site.

The pier portion of this project will impact approximately 0.1 acre of Essential Fish Habitat for various species and life stages. Habitat at this site can be described as sands and silts. Loss of this habitat from shading effects may adversely affect some of these species. 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 Essential Fish Habitat 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. The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact of the proposed activity on the public interest. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work, 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 the Edgewood Yacht Club (file # NAE-2013-1629) should be forwarded no later than Feb. 28, 2014 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Michael Elliott), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Michael Elliott at 978-318-8131 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: michael.j.elliott@usace.army.mil.