NVCOG staff reported Sept. 11 that the Connecticut Brownfield Land Bank is close to acquiring a riverfront property that includes a dam on the Naugatuck River and that design work and sediment investigation are underway to support a future dam removal.

Why it matters: The property acquisition and dam removal would affect shoreline conditions, sediment handling, recreational greenway alignment and long-term river restoration in Ansonia and adjacent communities; staff said sediment volumes will be a major cost driver for the project and that state and federal funds are being lined up to help cover expenses.

What staff reported:
- Acquisition: NVCOG staff said the Brownfield Land Bank closing on the property is imminent; once the land bank owns the site NVCOG will move into a management role to secure public safety, prepare an emergency action plan, repair immediate hazards and coordinate design and cleanup work.
- Engineering and sediment work: GEI (engineer) is completing data collection and moving toward developing alternatives; EPA will perform additional sediment sampling in mid‑October. Staff said sediment behind the dam (referred to in meeting materials as the impoundment) is extensive; staff estimates range between roughly 750,000 and 1,400,000 cubic yards of sediment in the impoundment, and they described sediment handling and disposal as the largest future cost driver for the project.
- Funding: NVCOG finalized a contract with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for a $1.6 million planning allocation and said the project is positioned to use $25 million in bond funds approved by the legislature. Staff cautioned that some federal grants previously expected for elements of the broader greenway work had been withdrawn or delayed.
- Community engagement and greenway design: NVCOG will host a community meeting focused on the Naugatuck River Greenway alignment through the property; DEEP trail-design funds were awarded to support design of the trail through the site as part of dam‑removal planning.

Brownfields update (related work): Ricardo, NVCOG’s brownfields staff, summarized multiple site updates: underground storage tanks were removed and sampled at one site, EPA reviews and public engagement sessions are scheduled at others, and NVCOG has submitted applications for multiple state brownfield grant rounds (assessment and cleanup) with several projects awaiting award decisions.

Ending: Staff said acquisition, engineering design and sediment analysis will continue over the coming months and invited municipal staff and residents to the upcoming community meeting on the greenway alignment. NVCOG emphasized the project is a multi-year effort with sediment management central to scope and cost.