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First Taxing District Water Department, New Canaan

Notice of Tentative Determination to Approve Applications for Dam Safety Permit & Water Quality Certification And Intent to Waive Public Hearing

Applicant(s): First Taxing District Water Department
Application Nos: DS-201814638 & WQC-201814641
City/Town: New Canaan
Dam Name & DEEP ID No: Grupes Reservoir Dam, Dam ID #9003, High Hazard Class “C”

The Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) hereby gives notice that a tentative determination has been reached to approve the following applications. The Commissioner also intends to waive the requirement for public hearing pursuant to Section 22a-403 of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) provided that a hearing may be held for the dam safety permit if the Commissioner determines that the public interest will best be served thereby, or shall hold a hearing upon receipt of a petition as more thoroughly described below.

Application Nos.:DS-201814638 & WQC-201814641        

Applicant’s Name and Address:First Taxing District Water Department, 12 New Canaan Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851

Contact Name/Phone No/Email: Dominick M. DiGangi, P.E.

Type of Permits: New Permit. Dam Safety and 401 Water Quality Certification

Relevant Statute(s)/Regulation: 22a-403 and 22a-426

Project Description: Repair/Modify an existing dam

Project Location:1100 Valley Road, New Canaan, CT 06840

Water(s): Silvermine River

COMMISSIONER’S FINDINGS/REGULATORY CONDITIONS
The proposed activities include the following: raising the top of dam by 4 feet with a cast-in-place concrete cap and regrading the dam abutments, installing post-tensioned anchors at the dam, repointing the downstream face of the dam, grouting the stone masonry, replacing existing footbridge over spillway and catwalk to gatehouse, constructing earthen embankment and retaining walls along east side of Grupes Reservoir, regrading existing high ground and access road, demolishing existing gatehouse and constructing a new one, installing three new slide gates at the gatehouse, re-lining the existing 24-inch diameter low-level outlet pipe, installing a new 24-inch water main to existing distribution system, replacing existing culverts at the end of auxiliary spillway discharge channel with articulated block crossing, installing articulated concrete block at auxiliary spillway invert, removing trees and boulders that could potentially obstruct discharge channel during storms.

The activities will affect 0.11 acres of wetlands of the Silvermine River.

Application number WQC-201814641 has been evaluated for compliance with the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Federal Clean Water Act and the Water Quality Standards and Criteria of the State of Connecticut adopted pursuant to Section 22a-426 of the CGS.

INFORMATION REQUESTS/PUBLIC COMMENT
The dam safety application has been assigned No. 201814638; please use this number when corresponding with DEEP regarding this application. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the application from the applicant’s contact noted above. The application and supporting documentation are available for inspection at DEEP, Water Planning & Management Division, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday by contacting Anna Laskin of the Dam Safety Section at 860-424-3522 or Anna.Laskin@ct.gov

Before making a final decision on this application, the Commissioner shall consider written comments on the application from interested persons. Written comments on the application should be directed to Ivonne Grajko Hall, Water Planning & Management Division, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127, or may be submitted via electronic mail to: Ivonne.Hall@ct.gov no later than thirty (30) days from the publication date of this notice.

PETITIONS FOR DAM SAFETY HEARING
Petitions shall be signed by at least twenty five persons and should include the application number noted above and also identify a contact person to receive notifications. Petitions may also identify a person who is authorized to engage in discussions regarding the application and, if resolution is reached, withdraw the petition. Original signed petitions may be scanned and sent electronically to deep.adjudications@ct.gov or may be mailed or delivered to: DEEP Office of Adjudications, 79 Elm Street, 3rd floor, Hartford, CT 06106-5127. All petitions must be received within the comment period noted above. If submitted electronically, original signed petitions must also be mailed or delivered to the address above within ten days of electronic submittal. If a hearing is held, timely notice of such hearing will be published in a newspaper of general circulation.

ADA PUBLICATION STATEMENT
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request an accommodation contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov.

Published in the Advocate on February 26, 2020

Draft Permit