Representatives Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, and Grace Meng (D-Queens) yesterday announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will perform maintenance dredging of critical sandbanks in the Flushing Bay Federal Channel beginning this fall.
Dredging of the navigational channel, which is 15 feet deep and extends the length of the bay, will start in October and be completed in January 2016. By then, approximately 125,000 cubic yards of material will have been removed. The material will be processed and disposed of in an upland location.
“ Flushing Bay continues to be an important waterway for New York and I’m pleased the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be undertaking much-needed dredging of the channel to improve maneuverability for ships ,” said Crowley. “In addition to seeing a significant amount of cargo pass through each year, the bay is used by the NYPD Harbor Patrol Unit, and this crucial work ensures proper navigation of these waters for the future.”
“ Flushing Bay is an important local channel for ships and boats, ” said Meng. “ Ensuring that these vessels are able to freely navigate through this body of water helps promote and improve everything from trade and commerce to recreation and public safety.”
The project is funded as part of the Army Corps of Engineers’ $12.1 million work plan included in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 (H.R. 83), the legislation that set the funding levels for all federal agencies for fiscal year 2015.
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