The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Norfolk District has received a joint application from Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding for the James River dredge permit modification.
The applicant proposes to modify its existing dredge permit that standardized dredge depths to include a new wharf and 400’ x 3,700’ channel at its Joint Manufacturing Facility’s north end.
This modification is to accommodate a need to moor and load ocean-transport barges as part of Columbia Class submarine construction and will require the removal of 1.12 million cubic yards of subaqueous bottom.
Subsequent maintenance-dredging events will result in the anticipated removal of about 340,000 cubic yards of material, as the proposed channel is in an area of high siltation. No filling of marine areas is required, and all work will take place in an industrial shipyard that is regularly dredged.
The applicant proposes to dispose of dredge spoils at Craney Island.
The deadline for submitting the comments is June 17, 2019.