Public memorial honors former Harbor Commission chair Tony DeAndrea

Jeff Stedman opened the public comment period at the June 24 Norwalk Harbor Management Commission meeting with a remembrance of former chair Tony DeAndrea, who died on June 3. Stedman said DeAndrea “was a true champion of Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound” and praised his commitment to “truth and honor.”

Stedman detailed DeAndrea’s involvement in two major local efforts: the Yankee Doodle Bridge runoff study and a years‑long harbor dredging program. He said DeAndrea helped secure projects that led to a bridge design capturing about 80% of deck runoff and recalled the dredging effort as a 13.5‑million‑dollar, three‑phase project carried out over many years.

Stedman also recounted DeAndrea’s willingness to litigate, saying DeAndrea filed a federal challenge to an environmental impact assessment related to a bridge project; the case was dismissed on standing grounds, not on merits. He said DeAndrea later suffered a stroke and noted the former chair’s community work with Sheffield Island, the Boy Scouts and as a commercial fisherman.

The speaker urged commissioners to view disparaging statements about former commission members who worked on the harbor plan as disqualifying for future service and closed by asking the commission to preserve and pass on the record of the projects DeAndrea championed.

The commission acknowledged Stedman’s remarks and recorded the memorial in the public comment record. No formal action was taken on the memorial; it was recorded as part of public participation.