Congresswoman Louise Slaughter yesterday announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete dredging at Rochester Harbor this week.
This season’s dredging operation included removal of over 180,000 cubic yards of material from the Port of Rochester and 5,000 cubic yards from Irondequoit Bay.
Slaughter has secured more than $5 million since 2013 for dredging Rochester’s port, which ships and receives an average of 95,000 tons of material each year.
“The reason I fight so hard to secure the funding necessary to dredge our port every year is to maximize its full potential at a time when it imports $10 million worth of goods annually. Infrastructure projects like these are felt across our entire region, driving job creation and construction projects throughout Monroe County,” said Slaughter.
“Completion of this project opens the harbor to greater commercial traffic and provides safer navigation for commercial and recreational vessels. We are grateful for the advocacy of Congresswoman Slaughter as well as other state and local partners, who have worked hard to secure funding for the effort. We look forward to assisting the community with any future projects to improve harbor infrastructure,” added Lt. Col. Adam Czekanski, USACE Buffalo District commander.
Rochester Harbor stands as Monroe County’s gateway to the Great Lakes, which support more than 130,000 jobs and $18 billion in annual revenue along their shores.
The port’s primary commercial use is the shipment of cement from Ontario, Canada, to the Lehigh Hanson Ready Mix, formerly Essroc Cement Corporation’s, wholesale distribution center located in Rochester Harbor.
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