USA: Bath Iron Works Seeks Corps Permit for Dredging

Bath Iron Works Corporation is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the United States in conjunction with testing ships and maintenance dredging in Bath, Maine.

Bath Iron Works Corporation proposes to place gravel and stone fill material below the high tide line of the Kennebec River in Bath to cover approximately 7,020 square feet of river bottom adjacent to one of the applicant’s ship berths to provide approximately 3.5 feet of scour protection during required testing of ship electrical systems (for both generating and propulsion). This propulsion testing program is known as the Brake Wheel Project and is designed to test ship power but with no thrust while a ship is dockside.

Concurrently, Bath Iron Works proposes to conduct maintenance dredging at several locations at their facility. Corps permit No. NAE-2007-02528 authorized similar dredging and contained Special Conditions allowing continued maintenance dredging upon notification to the Corps. Approximately 70,000 cubic yards of primarily sand will be dredged by mechanical means from a 12.6-acre area to a depth of -70 feet mean low water (mlw) to re-establish operational depths within their drydock sinking basin.

This material will be disposed of at an in-river disposal site located downriver off of Bluff Head. Approximately 3,500 cubic yards of sand and silt will be dredged by mechanical means from an 8-acre area to a depth of -14 feet mllw to restore operational depths within their drydock landing grid. This material will be disposed of at an upland, non-wetland location.

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Press Release, October 30, 2012