USACE: Groton Dredging Plan on the Table

Image source: USACE

Electric Boat Corporation of Groton, Connecticut, is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New England District for work in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with dredging and other proposed work at the facility in Groton.

Image source: USACE

According to an official USACE’s statement, this work is proposed in the Thames River at 75 Eastern Point Road in Groton.

Proposed work involves:

  • installing sedimentation and erosion controls;
  • removing to an approved offsite location, the existing structures;
  • removing approximately 3,000 cubic yards of bedrock;
  • placing approximately 620 cubic yards of stone riprap;
  • constructing a 36” by 48” stormwater outfall on the northern side of the project site and a 60” diameter reinforced concrete outfall on the southern side of the property;
  • placing fill within 3 freshwater wetlands totaling approximately 1,750 square feet;
  • dredging mechanically a total of 984,000 cubic yards of material;
  • providing for use of a 180′ wide by 750′ long floating dry dock;
  • installing approximately 850 linear feet of steel sheet pile bulkhead;
  • constructing two mooring dolphins;
  • constructing three Sea Shuttle bearing plates;
  • constructing a 317′ wide by 624′ long pile-support Assembly Building;
  • side casting the sediment from the drilled support shafts;
  • removing the sedimentation and erosion controls measures.

According to the official statement, public comments on this work proposed by Electric Boat Corporation should be forwarded no later than Jan. 28, 2019 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District.

Background

The purpose of the proposed project is to implement a Facilities Master Plan for Electric Boat that provides the necessary infrastructure at the Groton facility to allow for continued safe and efficient design, construction, and life cycle support of submarines for the U.S. Navy underway currently at the facility and as well as the water-dependent facilities needed to efficiently and safely manage future workload which includes the development of the necessary infrastructure and manufacturing facilities on the Groton site to support the construction of new, large class submarines.

Construction of the new facilities is needed and must occur while the current class of submarines is still in production at the facility’s North Yard.

Continued and future implementation of the U.S. Navy submarine construction and delivery schedule is vital to national security and supports the U.S. Department of Defense’s critical mission of strategic deterrence, said USACE.