Catano Oil Dock Dredging Plans on the Table

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has received an application from Total Petroleum Puerto Rico for a maintenance dredging project aimed to restore the required depth for the safe maneuvering of ships approaching and berthing at the Catano Oil Dock, Municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

The applicant seeks authorization to perform maintenance dredging of approximately 15,750 cubic yards of sediments in approximately 0.85 acres of navigable waters in an area located to the east, west and north side of the existing Catano Oil Dock.

The method of dredging will be clamshell and the proposed dredging depth is -40 feet and -2 feet allowable overdepth, the announcement said.

The dredged material will be transported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated San Juan Harbor ODMDS.

Background

The San Juan Bay is an active port area. The Catano Oil Dock is used by carrier vessels and tankers to supply to the island of Puerto Rico petroleum products (i.e. gas, diesel, propane gas).

The proposed area has been dredged several times in the past. The last maintenance dredging at the proposed site was performed in February 2012 where approximately 4,500 cubic yards of sediments were dredged.

Sampling and testing of the material to be dredged were conducted in February and March 2015. The results of the physical, chemical and toxicological analyses of the samples collected are included on the Final Report San Juan Harbor Section 103 Sediment Testing and Analysis dated December 2015.

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