CONCORD, Mass. – Killingworth Cranberries LLC 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 doing work and reclaiming area to plant cranberry bushes in Killingworth, Conn.

The work includes the discharge of 185 cubic yards of clean sand fill over a 9,940-square-foot area in waters and wetlands associated with Pond Meadows Brook for construction of a new access road berm to control seasonal water levels. This is an after-the-fact permit application.

Work also includes cutting and grubbing of trees and shrubs over a 2.6-acre area and subsequent discharge of sand over an approximate 1.32-acre area for reclamation of the eastern growing area for planting of cranberry bushes.

The purpose of the work is to restore the surface of the cranberry bog to a condition suitable for commercial cranberry production and mechanical harvest. Mitigation measures to offset the loss of flood storage, prevent the discharge of soil and silt downstream and facilitate break-down of chemical pesticide applications include the construction of a 0.4-acre irrigation and tailwater recovery pond.

Compensation for direct and secondary impact to wetland habitat function is anticipated to be maintained by contribution into the Connecticut In-Lieu Fee Program and/or enhancement measures on bog adjacent to the commercial wetland.

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 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 (file #NAE-2013-0032) should be forwarded no later than Aug. 12, 2014 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Cori Rose), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA  01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Cori Rose at 978-318-8306 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: cori.m.rose@usace.army.mil.