Toxic Chemicals Dredged from Thames River Might Be Dumped Off Northeast Coast of FI

Pink area in above graphic was the former New London Disposal Site, expanded in recent years (striped area) to become Eastern Long Island Disposal Site (ELDS).

There is an open water dump site less than three miles off the northwest coast of Fishers Island, and wheels are in motion to use it as the dumping ground for 890,000 cubic yards of contaminated, fine-grained muck dredged from the bottom of the Thames River. The dredging will make way for a new class of ballistic missile submarines to be built at Electric Boat in Groton, Conn.

Nov. 29, 2019 was the final date for public comment on the proposed dredging. FIConservancy has a long history of objecting to dumping toxic dredge spoils at the head of the Race, where waters are shallow and tidal currents are among the strongest on the East Coast.

FIConservancy President Tom Sargent mailed a letter to the New York State Department of State expressing serious environmental concerns and explaining that our objections have never been about the fact of necessary dredging, rather where the dredge spoils will be dumped.

Click on the blue button below to read Mr. Sargent’s succinct, informative letter.