More than $21 million in water-related projects — much of it river dredging and harbor upgrades — are among the improvements in greater Hampton Roads to be funded with economic stimulus money, officials announced this week.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which released a list of civil works projects, said funds should be available almost immediately.
"We intend to quickly put these dollars into action," said Maj. Gen. Merdith "Bo" Temple, deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations.
In all, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has set aside $4.6 billion to the Corps for civil works projects around the country. Roughly two-thirds of that money goes for operation/maintenance or construction.
The Obama administration says the projects will create or keep about 57,400 direct jobs in the construction industry and another 64,000 jobs from firms that support or supply the construction business.
Included in the list is $868,000 for dredging Hampton Creek, restoring a 12-foot depth for barges and large commercial fishing vessels that have had difficulty navigating the area.
Various projects connected with the Norfolk harbor are slated to receive more than $10 million, including:
- $3 million for raising dikes at Craney Island as part of the dredged material management project
- $2.28 million to replace a spillway at Craney Island
- $2.03 million to construct breakwaters on the west shoreline of the Craney Island disposal facility to prevent continued erosion and improve water quality
- $130,000 to install safety rails and repair the Fort Norfolk sea wall
- $150,000 to repair storm damage to the Craney Island project office
- $950,000 to accomplish an environmental compliance initiative at Craney Island
For the Elizabeth River, $235,000 is set aside for construction of a wetlands restoration project in the drainage canal at Old Dominion University.
by Hugh Lessig of the Daily Press, excerpts from an article originally published on May 1, 2009
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