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Project Title: Barrier Beach Restoration on Long Beach West (FFS #R5FA); project oversight by Southern New England - New York Bight Coastal Program
State: Connecticut
Project Description: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) received $909,000 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to remove abandoned cottages and restore beach and dune habitat on 35 acres of municipal property on Long Beach West in Stratford, CT. The 41 unoccupied, deteriorating cottages on Long Beach West are the remnants of a former summer community. The Town of Stratford voted in July 2009 to move ahead with the project.
The area along the Connecticut coast is recognized as one of 17 Inaugural Long Island Sound Stewardship sites in Connecticut in the 2006 Stewardship Atlas. In addition, it is listed as an Audubon Important Bird Area, part of a global network of places essential to the survival of priority bird species. Long Beach West is one of the most important remaining beach-nesting areas for the federally threatened piping plover. Restoring natural conditions will benefit a wide variety of migratory birds, including species of concern such as the least tern, American oystercatcher, clapper rail and black duck. This site also supports five species of state-listed rare plants and nesting diamondback terrapins.
Long Beach West is located within the approved acquisition boundary for the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Stratford residents last year voted in favor of negotiating the sale of the property to the Service, providing that funding becomes available for the acquisition and the area remains available for public access. If acquired, the Service would manage the land as part of the refuge, which currently includes 11 coastal and island units along the Connecticut coast and within the Long Island Sound.
Long Beach Restoration Project partners include the Town of Stratford and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, along with Audubon Connecticut, the Trust for Public Land, SoundKeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut Ornithological Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Protect Your Environment, CFE/Save the Sound, the Stratford Conservation Commission, and The Nature Conservancy.
Contract awarded to Connecticut company
The Service has awarded a $619,000 contract to the Milford, Conn., office of LVI Environmental Services, Inc., a national remediation and facilities services firm, to complete the clean-up project on Long Beach West. The company will demolish and remove the cottages, as well as other debris and contaminants such as asbestos. Read the media alert for more information.
“LVI Environmental Services is honored to be working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on the Long Beach West project. We share a common concern for the environment and are committed to working together to preserve and protect the fish, wildlife and plants in the area,” said Business Development Manager Craig Lyons. “LVI’s experience with large, complex projects for the government and private industry - combined with our dedication to safety, trained work force and state-of-the art equipment - makes us uniquely qualified for this assignment.”
The company first will build a road to provide a route for transporting material off the site, and will remove as much trash as possible before March 15. The work will be on hiatus through Sept. 15 so as not to disturb nesting shorebirds on the beach. The majority of the work, including demolition will occur in the fall.
Tighe & Bond, another Connecticut-based company, completed an assessment of hazardous materials that would need to be removed from the site prior to demolition. Materials will be removed over land rather than by water as determined by an environmental assessment completed by the Service late last year. This approach will create minimal environmental disturbance, and was found to be the safest and most cost effective way to complete the project. Read the Media Bulletin for more information.
Once the demolition has been completed, the Service can begin beach habitat restoration.
Project Partners
Long Beach Restoration Project partners include the Town of Stratford and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, along with Audubon Connecticut, the Trust for Public Land, SoundKeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut Ornithological Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Protect Your Environment, CFE/Save the Sound, the Stratford Conservation Commission, and The Nature Conservancy.
Photos:
 One of the abandoned cottages slated for demolition. |
 The abandoned cottages are both unsightly and unsafe. |
 The dilapidated buildings will be replaced by beach and dune habitat. |
 Tighe and Bond representatives recently visited Long Beach West to tag hazardous materials. |
 An aerial view of the project site and existing national wildlife refuge lands adjacent to Long Beach West. |
Originally posted 07/27/2009
Updated 11/23/2009
Updated 02/18/2010
Updated 02/22/2010
