Posted on May 23, 2017
By Larry Robinson, Watertown Daily Times
The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority held a ceremony Friday to signify the signing of an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin work on a long-awaited project to make improvements to the Port of Ogdensburg, including dredging and deepening the St. Lawrence River at Ogdensburg Harbor.
Lt. Col. Adam Czekanski, the Buffalo District commander of the Corps, said the engineers and the OBPA have a working relationship that spans a century and a half.
“Eighteen-fifty-five is when we first surveyed the harbor,” Mr. Czekanski said. “In 1868, the first time we dredged the harbor, we dredged it to 12 feet, so we’ve come a long ways since then.”
U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., announced earlier this month that the acting secretary of army civil works had approved an agreement that will provide federal funds to begin a long-awaited project to deepen Ogdensburg Harbor.
The overall cost of the project is $18.2 million, according to officials. Of that amount, $3.2 million will come from the federal government, $10 million will come from the state of New York and the balance will be financed by the OBPA.
Friday’s symbolic signing of a Project Partnership Agreement between the Army Corps of Engineers and the OBPA was attended by OBPA Executive Director Wade A. Davis, OBPA Board of Directors Chairman Samuel LaMacchia, Ogdensburg Mayor Wayne L. Ashley and officials of the Army Corps of Engineers, including Mr. Czekanski.
The project will enter the implementation and design phase this year, and a contract is expected to be awarded in the spring of 2018. The anticipated completion of the dredging is set for the end of 2018.
The port was last dredged in 1984.
Mr. Davis said the harbor improvements would not have been possible without a concerted effort by local, state and federal officials.
“When we started this project back in 2009 we were told it can’t be done, you can’t deal with the Army Corps of Engineers, they’re difficult to deal with, you’ll never get the supporters,” Mr. Davis said to laughter from the audience. “But what we found is there is overwhelming support, both from the business community, the Army Corps of Engineers that were great to work with throughout this process, at the state level, at the federal level, at the local level, all these folks lent a great hand of support to this project.”
Deepening the harbor and making other improvements at the port means the OBPA will double its capacity to take in ships, according to Mr. Davis.
“That’s jobs, that’s putting dollars in the pockets of members of this community,” Mr. Davis said .
In a press release, Sen. Schumer predicted increased economic activity for Ogdensburg and the region as a result of the harbor deepening.
“The plan will help keep the channel navigable so that it can continue to be a major hub of job creation and economic activity,” Mr. Schumer said.
Likewise, U.S. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik said the port improvements will also ease congestion in the busy shipping lane.
“This important project will help reduce congestion and increase commerce in our region and I am pleased my office could help facilitate this process between the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” she said. “I am committed to working in Congress on infrastructure improvements in our region and today’s announcement allows us to move forward with an important project.”
The Port of Ogdensburg is the only U.S. port on the St. Lawrence Seaway and is the closest U.S. Seaway Port to Europe, according to OBPA officials. It is also the northernmost port in New York state.
The main commodities shipped and received include road salt and corn gluten and include other grains, fertilizers and project cargo such as windmill parts. Between 2008 and 2012, the port shipped and received an average of 105,000 tons.
Source: Watertown Daily Times
