MassWorks: Manchester Harbor Dredging Gets Support

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito yesterday joined state Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr of Gloucester, state Rep. Brad Hill of Ipswich and Manchester selectmen to announce a $500,000 MassWorks grant in support of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Dredging Project. 

The announcement was made at Reed Park, off Beach Street, along the harbor.

“Through the very hard work of Harbor Master Bion Pike, Town Administrator, Gregory Federspiel, the Manchester Board of Selectmen, the Harbor Advisory Committee and lastly the Dredging Committee the Town and its citizens sent a strong message to the state that we are ready to partner with you to ensure that this Harbor continues to be an invaluable economic engine,” said Rep. Brad Hill.

“This award will support Manchester’s working harbor that brings in approximately $6 million worth of lobsters each year. In addition, the project will support two marinas that employ approximately 75 people. The $500,000 will leverage $1 million committed by the town to begin work on the shovel-ready project so as not to miss the dredging season which runs September through February,” added State Senator Bruce Tarr.

Manchester will be the first community to receive dredging money through this program, according to Tarr.

This cleanup project, set to begin this fall, will remove 24,676 cubic yards of sediment to restore the depth of the harbor areas to a minimum of 8 feet wide at low tide.

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