USACE suspends Dare County dredging permits

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District has suspended Dare County’s permits authorizing dredging work in federal and non-federal channels in Oregon and Hatteras Inlet complexes due to a third recorded instance of noncompliance.

“Due to this suspension, all activities authorized by the permits shall be stopped immediately,” the Corps said in the release. “This suspension will remain in place until the county provides USACE with proper documentation that an enforceable and viable protocol is in place to ensure compliance.”

USACE issued Dare County its first notice of noncompliance in April 2023 pertaining to their permit to maintain Manteo / Shallowbag Bay federal channel in the vicinity of Oregon Inlet.

A second notice in was issued in August of 2023. The suspension is necessary due to the continued disregard of permit conditions and failure of implementing any corrective actions.

To make this determination USACE reviewed data from the National Dredging Quality Management Program (DQM) from September 2023 to June 2024. The data shows that work was unnecessarily conducted by dredging well outside the authorized widths and depths of the navigation channels.

According to the data gathered, 98% of all dredging loads associated with both complexes were not compliant with permit conditions.

USACE remains committed to a strong partnership with Dare County, however, the permit conditions must be met to minimize adverse long term negative impacts to aquatic and cultural resources.