Shellfish commission conditionally approves dredging at 160 Water Street, asks for proof of prior dredge and disposal plan

Aaron Ho, standing in for department head Jim Meehan, presented a city proposal to dredge sediment from a stormwater outfall at 160 Water Street. Ho said the area is about 2,320 square feet and that the project would remove roughly 200 cubic yards of material to an average depth of about 3 feet as needed to maintain an agreed elevation under a city easement.

"It's basically a... the area is about 2,320 square feet, and we're planning to remove 200 cubic yards of material," Ho told commissioners, adding the city was asked by the property owner to survey the area and would apply to DEEP as part of the permitting process.

Commissioners asked for documentation showing the area had been dredged in the past and for a disposal plan. Advisory member Jeff Stedman cautioned that material removed from some marina drains has historically been contaminated and, based on earlier federal channel dredging, required placement in a confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cell or an appropriate upland facility rather than open discharge to Long Island Sound. "It can't go as far as based on the past, experience, it can't go to, Long Island Sound. It has to be disposed either in a in a CAD cell or or some sort of a, appropriate upland facility," Stedman said.

Commissioners voted to conditionally approve the dredging contingent on (1) proof that the site was previously approved and dredged and (2) a documented, appropriate disposal plan. The commission asked city staff to provide records of prior dredging (date and disposal details) and the COP and LWRD application materials; staff agreed to provide those documents for the commission's review before final paperwork is completed.

The approval is limited to the Shellfish Commission's portion of the application and does not by itself finalize any state DEEP permits or other required agency approvals.