MOSQUITO CREEK Group wants strict testing before projects

The Mosquito Creek's wetlands and wildlife are not far from the Eastwood Mall and state Route 46 stores.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Mahoning River Consortium is urging that new road projects in the lower Mosquito Creek watershed -- which includes the Eastwood Mall and the most congested roads in Trumbull County -- be subject to the federal governments' most stringent environmental review process.
Consortium chairman William DeCicco has asked the Federal Highway Administration to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement before giving the green light to any road project that could affect a 12-mile corridor of river and wetlands between downtown Niles and the Mosquito Creek Dam near Cortland. The consortium passed a motion in favor of the request at its meeting last month.
The Environmental Impact Statement is the highest level of environmental review required by the FHA, sometimes taking as long as six to seven years to complete, said Andy Blalock, FHA transportation operations team leader in Columbus. Cost can range from a few thousand dollars to $1 million, he said.
Blalock said the consortium's request will be taken seriously.
"All the comments that come need to be considered and addressed," he said.
The lower Mosquito Creek watershed is among the finest urban wetlands in the state and hosts two state endangered species, DeCicco said. Bald eagles have also been sighted in the 1/2 to 1/4 mile corridor, according to a study on the area prepared for the consortium.
Projects being contemplated that could affect the watershed include improvements to state Route 46, new entrance ramps onto state Route 82 and a road between state Route 46 and North Road.
"If any of those were going to happen, environmental studies by the state would be mandatory," said Howland Township Administrator Darlene St. George.
She said the township had no objection to the consortium's request.
According to the consortium's letter to the FHA, the request reflects the group's disappointment with the FHA's decision not to require a full environmental study for the planned widening of North Road, west of the watershed. The Trumbull County Engineer reduced the scope of the project in the face of fierce opposition from residents.
"We are not saying we are against development in any way," DeCicco said. "We are just saying there should be a plan, we should take a regional look at the best use of the land."
siff@vindy.com