After decades of planning and fundraising, the city of Portland said it's secured enough funds to begin a multi-year harbor dredging project.
City officials say many Portland harbor piers, marinas and ramps haven't been dredged in about 70 years. Sand and silt has built up over time, lowering water depths and available berthing for boats that use the waterfront.
Bill Needelman, waterfront coordinator for the city of Portland, said the sediment build-up has cut off 26% of central waterfront access for fishermen and tour boats.
"But we also need to dredge our cruise ship berths, our ferry berths, our public landings and water taxi dockage, the whole gamut of activity in Portland Harbor that requires a boat in some way or form," he said.
The cities of Portland and South Portland have applied multiple times for federal transportation funds but have been denied.
Now, city officials have scaled back the project from its original vision, and it will occur over several phases.
All told, the project secured about $10 million in state pandemic recovery funds, more than $1 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields services, $6 million from the Maine Department of Transportation and $5 million total from the cities of Portland and South Portland.
Private wharf and pier owners participating in the first phase of the project will also contribute about $2.6 million in tipping fees, more than originally anticipated, Needelman said.
"By increasing municipal funds, by increasing the private contributions and accessing the state funds, we have enough to move forward with the construction," he said.
The first step is to build a contained disposal site that will sequester dredge material for the entire project. Construction of the confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cell could begin later this fall.
Dredging at some piers and wharves as part of the project's first phase may occur the following year. Needelman said the cities will likely need to secure additional funds to dredge the remaining sites.
