Posted on April 29, 2026
By Connor Smith
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it’s making changes to its report on a controversial $1.3 billion proposal to deepen the Cape Fear River, two months after state officials formally objected to the project.
USACE’s Dave Connolly said the agency is making “minor” additions and adjustments to its report, and plans to finish both its report and environmental impact statement before July.
“There’s been no change. We’re still focused on our two tasks at hand,” Connolly said.
The revisions come after USACE received thousands of public comments and a formal objection by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) in February. That objection threw the future of the project in limbo, though USACE, in conjunction with the North Carolina State Ports Authority (NCSPA), continues pushing forward.
The project would deepen the river from 42 to 47 feet. Advocates have argued that would let larger ships reach the Port of Wilmington, keeping the port competitive with its peers on the Atlantic coast.
Critics, including NCDEQ in its objection, have pointed to PFAS, flooding and other potential environmental impacts if the harbor is deepened.
The objection, issued Feb. 24, came from the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM). DCM Director Tancred Miller signed the letter, citing two grounds: 1) that the USACE failed to supply sufficient information to evaluate consistency with North Carolina’s enforceable coastal policies, and 2) that the project would cause significant adverse impacts to coastal resources.
“DCM concludes that the 403 project, as proposed, would cause significant adverse impacts to coastal resources,” NCDEQ’s objection letter read in part. “The USACE has not fully demonstrated how these adverse impacts will be avoided, minimized or mitigated.”
Various cities, towns and villages around southeastern North Carolina have formally opposed the project. Bald Head Island and Southport have racked up more than $250,000 in legal fees tied to the project.
Connolly didn’t specify what changes the agency is making to its report, or considering, but said they are minor.
“We reviewed (NCDEQ’s) objections line-by-line, and we determined we’re still fully consistent with current federal and state regulations,” Connolly said.
After NCDEQ’s objection, the Army Corps could’ve paused the project and worked with the state to address any concerns through a formal federal dispute resolution process. That did not happen, the USACE said.
“(It’s) important to say that for the duration of the project, and leading up to the State’s formal objection, NCSPA and USACE kept constant coordination with the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management and NCDEQ,” Connolly said.
The report and environmental impact statement will go through a compliance review before going to the Assistant Secretary of the Army in July. The assistant secretary’s decision will be made in October, which could include a recommendation to Congress.
