CONCORD, Mass. – The Vermont Agency of Transportation 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 airport runway and taxiway extensions and improvements in Coventry, Vermont.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation proposes to place fill material in a total of 3.68 acres of wetlands adjacent to unnamed tributaries to the Barton River and South Bay of Lake Memphremagog in conjunction with the construction of runway and taxiway extensions, safety area improvements, and new landside facilities at the Newport State Airport off of Airport Road in Coventry.

About 0.74 acre of wetland will be temporarily impacted during the removal of an existing powerline, and approximately 38.43 acres of forested wetland will be cleared to comply with Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 77, Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace.

The basic purpose of the proposed project is to provide airport facilities that will safely accommodate current and projected aviation demand at the Newport State Airport.  

The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps of Engineers 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 detailed information, can be viewed on the Corps website at

http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.

Public comments on this project proposed by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (File # NAE-2009-2555) should be forwarded no later than May 8, 2014 to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Vermont Project Office (ATTN: Marty Abair), 11 Lincoln Street, Room 210, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Marty Abair at 802-872-2893 or by email to martha.a.abair@usace.army.mil.