U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Heeds Rep. Harris’ Call to Expedite Ocean City Dredging

WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has announced that it will expedite the dredging of the Ocean City Inlet. After discovering that shoaling had built up enough to jeopardize larger ships’ access to the Inlet, the office of Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) contacted USACE to seek immediate assistance. USACE has canceled a scheduled dredge in New Jersey in order to prioritize the Ocean City Inlet project. Congressman Harris released the following statement on the project:

“Ocean City is Maryland’s only Atlantic coast seaport, and small businesses across Maryland’s First District depend on the Ocean City Inlet for the transport of goods. The buildup of sand now restricts access to the Inlet for fishing vessels and larger ships, and has become a threat to the livelihood of many Eastern Shore residents. In fact, a fishing trawler recently attempted to return to their dock with a load of black sea bass before getting temporarily grounded in the Ocean City Inlet. The ship was freed, but was unable to return to their dock and unload. I am grateful to the Army Corps of Engineers for their cooperation and immediate attention to this matter, so that future problems will be avoided.”