Army Corps of Engineers to hold public open house to discuss deepening of Wilmington harbor

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wilmington District will conduct a public comment period and will host a public open house to discuss the latest on a project that would deepen the Wilmington harbor.

The public open house will be held Tuesday, June 13, at 4 p.m. at Cape Fear Community College’s Union Station Building.

Open House Schedule:

• Welcome, introduction video, and sign in 4-4:30 p.m.
• Open house begins 4:30-7p.m.

During the open house:

• Presentation by USACE 4:30-5 p.m.
• Repeat Presentation by USACE 6-6:30 p.m.

“The meeting will offer an opportunity for participants to visit various stations to engage with members of our team and learn about the project,” a news release states. “The public will be given opportunities to submit comments at the public meeting and provided information on how to engage and provide comments throughout the project.”

The public comment period runs through June 30, 2023.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on an approximately $8.5 million evaluation of technical, policy and legal concerns surrounding a potential deepening of the Wilmington harbor.

According to the project’s website, the project would deepen the main channel to 47 feet from the current 42 feet.

“Since the last major channel improvements completed by the Corps of Engineers through the Wilmington Harbor 96 Act Deepening (entrance channel from 40′ to 44′, and from 38′ to 42′ main channel) took place over the period 2000-2013, the Port of Wilmington has experienced growth in cargo volume and in the size of vessels calling at the port,” the website states.

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