CONCORD, Mass. – The city of Boston Public Works Department 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 the retention of 12 bridge piers from the Long Island Bridge in Boston, Mass.

The city of Boston is seeking Corps authorization to retain the 12 bridge piers within Boston Harbor after the existing Long Island Bridge deck is demolished. There is an immediate need to remove the bridge deck; however, the in-water piers may be used later as part of the construction of a replacement bridge. A permit is required from the U.S. Coast Guard for bridges over navigable waters, but once these in-water piers are no longer used as part of the bridge, the Corps needs to authorize this change in use.

This work is proposed in Boston Harbor (Quincy Bay) at the Long Island Bridge, which connects Moon Island in Quincy and Long Island in Boston. The city of Boston has proposed retaining the in-water piers for up to 10 years, while they do the necessary investigations and bridge design for a possible replacement bridge. The city of Boston has proposed to maintain light at the individual in-water piers, as an aid to navigation. A bridge permit would be required from the U.S. Coast Guard for the construction of a replacement bridge.

No mitigation is proposed at this time as there will be no new impacts due to this change in use. Removal and restoration of the substrate may be required if future bridge plans do not include use of these piers. No new impacts to Essential Fish Habitat are anticipated.

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 U.S. 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 proposal by the city of Boston Public Works Department (file #NAE-2014-2100) should be forwarded no later than Feb. 11, 2015 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Paul Sneeringer), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA  01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Paul Sneeringer at 978-318-8491 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: paul.j.sneeringer@usace.army.mil.