On December 2, 2010, Governor M. Jodi Rell and Amey Marrella, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, presented notice of the award to Alexis Cherichetti, the City’s Senior Environmental Officer. This grant will be used to complete engineering analysis, design and permitting for removal of the Flock Process Dam in the Norwalk River.

The Flock Process Dam is the first and largest barrier on the Norwalk River to migratory fish passage to and from Long Island Sound. The large dam is approximately 22 feet high and spans about 120 feet in length. Removal of the dam will open miles of river habitat to ecologically important migrating fish, including river herring, alewives, American eel and sea-run brown trout.

The grant will allow the City and partner organizations to move forward towards the eventual removal of the Flock Process Dam, resulting in long-term restoration of native fish populations in the Norwalk River and will improve the overall health and productivity of the Norwalk River and its harbor. “We are very grateful to Governor Rell and the Connecticut DEP for recognizing and allocating funds for this project. It will provide a vital step in our efforts to restore our Norwalk River,” states Mayor Moccia.