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Judge Rejects Delay in Portsmouth Wastewater Project; New Dog Park Location Sought

Photo via bringfido.com

A federal judge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has rejected a request to delay ruling on a deal to upgrade the Peirce Island wastewater plant.

The Portsmouth Herald reports that the tentative deal between Portsmouth and the federal Environmental Protection Agency spells out the type of sewer plant the city must build on the island and its timeline for construction.

Residents opposing the deal are concerned the upgraded sewer plant won't be able to handle the amount of waste, especially during rain. But Judge Paul Barbadoro said the case has been "fully briefed" and the group asking him to delay his ruling did not successfully establish a need for additional discovery.

The group is considering filing a Clean Water Act lawsuit in response.

Portsmouth City Manager John Bohenko is examining options for the creation of a new off-leash dog park in the New Hampshire city.

Project Displacing Popular Dog Park

The Portsmouth Herald reports City Councilor Josh Denton requested that Bohenko look into possible sites for the new park because the current one on Peirce Island will soon be closed while the upgraded wastewater plant is being built.

Bohenko says he and Department of Public Works staff will work together to inspect the existing conditions of land near the park and ride off Greenland Road as a potential site.

Given the steps city officials would need to take to make Denton's request a reality, the councilor says it would probably take several months before the new park could open.

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