That sediment has “partially or fully impaired between 25% and 40% of the berthing space in the harbor,” Mann said. You need to dredge around those because, overtime, runoff from the land will build up sediment.” The same is true for our docks and piers. “You need to change the oil, you need to put new tires on periodically. “At points in our history, we dumped things over the side of a vessel or things went into the harbor that today we think, ‘Wow, I can’t believe we did that.’” “The way we do things in 2021 is not the way we did things a few years ago – certainly not the way we did them a half century ago or even a century ago,” Mann said. If it’s clear the federal aid won’t come through before the permits expire, he said, officials might ask for a state bond to cover much of the cost, a move that would require approval of voters.Ĭharlie Poole, one of the owners of Union Wharf in Portland, said no one likes to have to dredge, but it’s a necessary chore to keep a working harbor in good order.The cities of Portland and South Portland, the Portland Harbor Commission and the Maine Department of Transportation have banded together to plan a $31 million dredging project, but their request for a federal grant to fund 80% of the project was denied last month.Ĭenturies of bad habits and storm runoff have led to the buildup. The permits are good for four years, he said, so harbor officials will continue to push for the remaining approvals while seeking federal funds. Haley said the dredging proposal has received nearly all required approvals from state and federal regulators. The proposal was backed by the state’s congressional delegation, he said. He said he’s disappointed that Maine’s dredging plan wasn’t approved, but feels the application was a good one and it will be resubmitted next year. He said this year’s application was made under a public works grant program from which Maine received about $50 million, mostly for bridge repairs. Haley said the effort to get funding for the dredging has been going on for about 30 years. “We’ve probably had a good year because of how dry it’s been,” Kamilewicz said, but if dredging was performed, “obviously, it would make the whole harbor better.”
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