New London Dumps Snow Into Thames River After Blizzard as State Eases Environmental Rules

New London crews have begun hauling snow from downtown streets and dumping it into the Thames River after state environmental officials temporarily relaxed restrictions in response to Blizzard Calvin.

The powerful storm dropped nearly two feet of snow on the Connecticut city, creating significant challenges for road clearance, drainage and flood prevention. In an emergency measure, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection allowed snow disposal in waterways as a last resort to speed up cleanup operations.

Under normal circumstances, the practice is not permitted because of concerns about road salt, sand, debris and litter entering rivers and potentially harming water quality. However, officials said the scale of the snowfall required temporary flexibility to prevent further disruption and safety risks.

New London is one of at least 10 towns and cities across Connecticut using the emergency method. In the city, contractors are loading snow from downtown streets into tri axle trucks and transporting it to City Pier, where it is then tipped directly into the river.

Public Works Director Brian Sear said the snow being removed is primarily recent snowfall and that the city has documented the origin and movement of the loads as part of the state notification process. He stated that the vast majority of the snow being dumped fell within the past five days, describing it as fresh accumulation rather than older, heavily compacted material.

City officials say the approach is helping to restore access to businesses and improve traffic conditions in heavily impacted areas. Lakisha Moon Lee, owner of Flavours of Life boutique on Bank Street, said she supports the decision. She credited the city with clearing roads efficiently and said the cleanup has made it easier for customers to reach local shops.

While downtown snow is being directed into the Thames River, snow from residential neighbourhoods is being transported to Ocean Beach instead. Officials have not indicated how long the emergency waiver will remain in place, but described it as a temporary measure linked directly to storm recovery.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London is also using the river dumping method as part of its snow removal efforts.

Environmental groups have historically raised concerns about snow disposal in waterways due to pollutants that can accumulate on roads during winter storms. However, state officials emphasised that the decision was made in response to exceptional snowfall and immediate public safety needs.

As cleanup continues, city leaders say the priority remains reopening streets, preventing flooding from melting snow and restoring normal activity as quickly as possible following one of the region’s most significant winter storms in recent years.