A local company’s request to dredge an area of the West Ocean City harbor channel has received support from the Worcester County Commissioners.

A section of the West Ocean City harbor is pictured.
File photo

By Bethany Hooper, Associate Editor

A local company’s request to dredge an area of the West Ocean City harbor channel received the support of the Worcester County Commissioners last week.

The Worcester County Commissioners on July 2 approved a request from staff to authorize a local sponsor statement of no objection for a proposed dredging project at Atlantic Tackle. The company plans to complete dredge work within an area of the West Ocean City harbor channel and will occur adjacent to a proposed dredging project that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to undertake.

“This project benefits us as they are contemplating dredging part of the West Ocean City Commercial Harbor and this work will coincide with the county’s dredging of the adjacent harbor channel,” Bob Mitchell, director of environmental programs, wrote in a memo to the commissioners.

Mitchell noted that the company’s project required a Corps review, as to ensure any changes do not harm public interest or “affects the ability of the project to meet its authorized purpose.” He said the agency then issues a determination as to whether the proposed project is approved or denied.

“These are supposed to be routine reviews and should be expedited,” he wrote to the commissioners. “The private sector project needs a review and also needs the endorsement of no objection from the county.”

As part of their consent agenda, the commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the chief administrative officer to sign the local sponsor statement of no objection on the county’s behalf.