Posted on March 26, 2018
By Michael Bonner, SouthCoastToday
To gain the $19 million required to complete Phase V dredging in the Port of New Bedford, state Rep. Tony Cabral wants the parties involved to focus on $650,000.
The number drawing Cabral’s focus is the amount needed to establish a design to execute the dredging.
“I think it would be wise for all the stakeholders here to really focus on the 650,” Cabral said. “Put it on the (state) Capital Budget for FY19. That would be a home run, right, if we could get that done.
“It’s not a huge amount of money. It’s a fairly reasonable amount to ask.”
Local and state politicians discussed those plans and more at the second annual Legislative Lunch at Standard Marine Outfitters on Pope’s Island on Friday.
Politicians discussed maritime issues last year at SeaTrade International, but a federal vote on health care distracted the public comments from topics like dredging. This time around, the public session focused on the port and what’s in its future, with dredging consuming most of the discussion.
“I want to underscore the importance of dredging, not just for New Bedford, but also Fairhaven,” Port Authority Director Ed Anthes-Washburn said. “It’s not just for future opportunities in terms of opening new areas. Dredging is really critical in terms of keeping what we currently have.”
Anthes-Washburn said dredging would result in growth of 898 permanent jobs leading to an additional $65.1 million in wages and local consumption as well as $11.5 million in state and local tax revenue.
State Representatives Bob Koczera and Paul Schmid joined Cabral at the event. New Bedford City Councilors Naomi Carney, Linda Morad and Dana Rebeiro as well as Fairhaven selectman Bob Espindola also participated. The mayor’s office was also represented.
Some of the discussion revolved around the $35 million the state earmarked in 2014 for Phase V dredging of the port.
“To this day, not a penny has been appropriated,” Cabral said. “But it’s there.”
Cabral said the items could be reauthorized for the next 5-year capital budget or a different line item could be installed to pursue the dredging.
Cabral also spoke of an economic bill that provides $50 million worth of grants that could be used for salt water dredging. However, funding for the grants much be matched dollar-for-dollar by those receiving it.
When Cabral asked Anthes-Washburn if the city had the funding to match, the port director replied, “No.”
Legislation filed last week by the Baker administration committed $1.4 billion to climate change, environmental protection, and community investments, however, Cabral said it didn’t include any funding for dredging required in New Bedford.
The federal channel, which is maintained by the Army Corp of Engineers, hasn’t been dredged since the 1950s. The rest of the port was last dredged in 2014 in a $7 million project that raised the depth four feet to 28.5 feet. However, to be authorized by the federal government, the average depth during low tides is required to be 30 feet.
The $35 million set aside is the estimated cost for dredging the federal channel and completing Phase V dredging in the harbor. Completing the projects together is more cost effective than handling each separately.
The $650,000, though, would only implement a design for the $19 million cost of Phase V dredging.
Source: SouthCoastToday
