North Carolina Port of Wilmington Dredging Project Paused Amid Chemical Contamination Concerns
The North Carolina State Ports Authority has requested a suspension of further consideration for a long-planned dredging project at the Port of Wilmington. This decision comes due to concerns about potential 'forever chemicals' in the Cape Fear River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had previously released an environmental impact statement in June, acknowledging contaminants upstream but stating it was unclear if dangerous silt was present in the harbor or downstream. The Corps concluded that dredging would not impact drinking water contaminant concentrations. However, environmentalists have consistently argued that the project would release harmful chemicals. The state's governor, Josh Stein, is reportedly not in favor of the project. The Port of Wilmington, located 26 miles inland, currently maintains a 42-foot channel, with advocates pushing for a deepening to 47 feet to accommodate larger vessels, similar to competing ports like Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah. The Ports Authority's 2031 Strategic P...
