Posted on July 6, 2020
A plan to issue a special use permit to Dare County to use a privately-owned hopper dredge to perform maintenance dredging within Oregon Inlet has been approved by the National Park Service.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the NPS adopted an environmental assessment drafted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for its Section 404 permitting in which the National Park Service was a cooperating agency. A public review and comment period for a draft Finding of No Significant Impact for the adopted environmental assessment was available for a 15-day period from May 11 to 25, 2020. Karen Cucurullo, acting director, South Atlantic-Gulf Region, signed the finding on June 11, 2020.
“This plan is important to support safe navigation for commercial fishermen, charter boats, the Coast Guard and recreational boaters that use the inlet on a daily basis,” stated David Hallac, superintendent of the National Parks of Eastern North Carolina. “It will allow Dare County to assist the Army Corps of Engineers in the maintenance of the federally authorized channel.”
Source: thecoastlandtimes
