Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) released the following statement applauding President Obama’s inclusion of $8.6 million for New Haven harbor maintenance in his 2014 budget request.
In December, DeLauro asked the Administration to include funds for the maintenance in his budget.
“This is good news for New Haven and I applaud the Administration for including the vast majority of the funds I asked for in its budget request. This investment will help the region’s economic development, paying dividends for years to come. The fact that the harbor was already due for maintenance, combined with the effects of Hurricanes Sandy and Irene, has made dredging the harbor absolutely crucial. But the President’s budget request is just a first step and we now need the request to become a reality. I will fight every step of the way to make sure that is exactly what happens.”
The 2011 and 2012 hurricane seasons resulted in significant shoaling in the New Haven harbor, which significantly degraded the shipping channels. As a result, the channel now needs 800,000 cubic yards of sediment dredged to restore the shipping channels to their federally authorized depth and width. Without that dredging, terminal operators could be required to restrict harbor traffic during low tide, severely limiting the flow of cargo.
[mappress]
Press Release, April 12, 2013