![]() Portland Harbor has not been dredged in more than 70 years and is in sore need of it now, according to the Dredge Team. Needleman said the numbers are basically accurate, though they may change slightly as the application deadline gets closer, depending on several factors including inflation. That includes $10 million in state-administered federal ARPA funds, which were not available the last time the grant application was turned down in August.Īt that time, the Dredge Team was asking for $18 million in RAISE funds. ![]() About $22 million has already been secured, according to Portland Waterfront Coordinator William Needelman. The entire dredging project is expected to cost somewhere in the vicinity of $32 million. ![]() The effort is the latest in a string of, so far, unsuccessful bids to bring in federal dollars. 21, 2023, while filming a video aimed at securing federal grant money for a Portland Harbor dredging project. If it’s clear the federal aid won’t come through before the permits expire, he said, officials might ask for a state bond to cover much of the cost, a move that would require approval of voters.Ĭharlie Poole, one of the owners of Union Wharf in Portland, said no one likes to have to dredge, but it’s a necessary chore to keep a working harbor in good order.Stakeholders gather on a South Portland mudflat on Saturday afternoon.Jan. The permits are good for four years, he said, so harbor officials will continue to push for the remaining approvals while seeking federal funds. Haley said the dredging proposal has received nearly all required approvals from state and federal regulators. ![]() The proposal was backed by the state’s congressional delegation, he said. He said he’s disappointed that Maine’s dredging plan wasn’t approved, but feels the application was a good one and it will be resubmitted next year. He said this year’s application was made under a public works grant program from which Maine received about $50 million, mostly for bridge repairs. Haley said the effort to get funding for the dredging has been going on for about 30 years. “We’ve probably had a good year because of how dry it’s been,” Kamilewicz said, but if dredging was performed, “obviously, it would make the whole harbor better.” ![]()
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