Wilmington District to Perform Additional Dredging

The FY15 work plan that was released recently by the President Obama will provide additional funding of almost $7 million in operation and maintenance (O&M) for a range of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District projects (the District was originally allocated $48.4 million for FY 15 in O&M).

For example, the Morehead City Harbor project received an increase of $4.1 million for a new total O&M allocation of $8.9 million, and the Manteo (Shallowbag) Bay project increased by $1.2 million for a total funding of almost $2 million.

Seven other O&M projects received additional funds in the work plan including $500,000 for New River Inlet and $957,000 for Philpott Lake in Virginia.

“The additional funding of two of the state’s important navigation projects at Morehead City Harbor and Manteo will allow us to perform additional dredging and at least alleviate the emergency conditions in the short term,” said District Commander Army COL Kevin Landers.

“In addition to the funding appropriated to continue to maintain Wilmington Harbor, the increase in funding in the President’s Budget at both Morehead City Harbor and Manteo will certainly help us remain out of crisis mode in FY16.”

Like each year’s presidential budget, the proposed FY16 budget begins a process that includes action by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and results in an appropriations bill to be enacted into law before final funding amounts are known.