The Connecticut Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on Monday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the Southbury Crown Plaza Hotel to hear comments on a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) and Draft Relocation Plan for recommendations to alleviate airport generated noise on surrounding residential properties near the Waterbury-Oxford Airport. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7:00 p.m., followed by an opportunity for public comment.

The plan includes the proposed voluntary acquisition of 72 homes within the noise impact area of the airport. Some of the homes may be eligible for noise insulation as an alternative to voluntary acquisition.

The DEA and Draft Relocation Plan are available for public review at the town clerks’ offices and public libraries in Middlebury, Oxford, and Southbury and online at www.oxcstudies.com.

Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA)

The DEA was prepared following the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and evaluates the impacts of the proposed voluntary home-acquisition program. The DEA evaluates the social and environmental impacts of acquisition of up to 71 homes in the Triangle Hills neighborhood in Middlebury and one home in Oxford (72 homes in total). Homes that are located beyond the Airport's Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) may be noise insulated as an alternative to voluntary acquisition. Of the 72 affected homes, 38 are located beyond the RPZ.

Categories of evaluation include social-economic impacts, such as available replacement housing, construction and visual impacts from housing demolitions, hazardous materials, and natural environmental considerations. The DEA findings indicate that financial impacts can be mitigated through just compensation and other monetary payments and assistance to affected homeowners, tenants, and home-based businesses. As the program is voluntary, affected residents that are not interested in selling or relocating will not be required to participate.

Proposed Stage Relocation Plan

The Relocation Plan identifies the anticipated phasing, or listing of the planned order of the proposed acquisitions year-by-year, over a multi-year period. The Relocation Plan also summarizes the findings of a survey of affected homeowners and residents, and provides an evaluation of the availability of replacement housing within the local school district; the Towns of Middlebury, Oxford, and Southbury; and within a 10-mile radius of the affected homes. The Relocation Plan identified that adequate replacement housing is available locally. The program may take seven to ten years to fully implement based on funding availability.

Next Steps

The public comment period for the DEA and the Draft Relocation Plan ends on July 31, 2009. Public comments should be submitted by that date. All comments will be reviewed, addressed, and published in the Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) document. The Federal Aviation Administration will then determine if the potential impacts are significant or if a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) may be issued. If a FONSI is issued, the Department will then proceed to the detailed implementation planning and intends to commence the acquisition program in 2010. The FEA is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2009.

Questions or public comments should be directed to CTDOT Project Manager, Mr. David Head, who can be reached by email at David.Head@ct.gov or by mail addressed to David Head, CTDOT, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT 06131-7546. Comments may also be submitted through the www.oxcstudies.com website.