The United States Army Corps of Engineers has approved and issued a key permit needed under section 404 of the Clean Water Act for completion of the SouthEast Connector project. The approval means the next phase of construction will proceed.
The permit requires conditions that RTC said it will comply with. The Corps did not require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), realignment of the path of the roadway or make any alterations to the project, which, RTC said, “is a validation of the solid design, engineering and environmental work that has been done by RTC.”
“The SouthEast Connector is much more than a needed roadway; it provides numerous benefits to the environment. I’m pleased the Corps has recognized those benefits in approving RTC’s application,” RTC Executive Director Lee Gibson said.
The Corps noted RTC’s plan to help stop the spread of mercury within the SouthEast Connector Corridor. The plan calls for soil with higher concentrations of mercury to be permanently stored under the roadway and removed from exposure to ground water and the environment.
Mercury spreads during floods. Modeling shows RTC’s plan will remove 22,000 pounds of mercury from the environment.
RTC is also planning habitat restoration and efforts to improve water quality and reduce erosion. The project will help the area return to a more natural floodplain. The project has been shown to reduce flood water elevations near homes and other buildings.
RTC said the roadway is needed to accommodate future growth and growth that has already occurred in the region. The project will reduce traffic congestion and the amount of idling vehicles, preventing pollution. A paved, multi-use path will also parallel the entire roadway, enabling pedestrian traffic such as walking and biking.
The first phase of the SouthEast Connector was completed in July. The next phase will begin in the coming weeks and be marked by a community groundbreaking event. The project is expected to be finished in late 2017. Information is available at: http://SouthEastConnector.com and http://RTCwashoe.com.
SOURCE: RTC.
