Posted on September 9, 2015
By U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney
Long Island Sound, and our 332 miles of Connecticut coastline, is a critical natural, recreational, and economic resource for our region and the nation. Over the next 30 years, an estimated 53 million cubic yards of sediment must be removed from waterways and channels along the Sound in order to ensure the continued viability of the region’s maritime-dependent activities — including military and federal facilities that are critical to our local economy. Unfortunately, the lack of a clear framework for needed dredging maintenance, and the disposal of dredged materials in the region, as well as ongoing uncertainty over the future use of open water placement, has had a negative impact on private marinas, ports, towns and even Naval Submarine Base New London.
That is why I strongly support the approval of the Army Corps’ Dredged Materials Management Plan, or DMMP. It provides a comprehensive management framework of environmentally responsible and cost-effective disposal solutions for the varying types of dredged materials — outlining plans for a myriad of federal dredging projects in the Long Island Sound region to address the needs of small businesses, marinas, and others whose livelihood depends on dredging.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
