Pursuant to 38 M.R.S. §480-D, sub-§9, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is required to provide the Maine Department of Environmental Protection with an assessment on the impacts on the fishing industry of a proposed dredging operation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District is proposing maintenance dredging of Wells Harbor and the Entrance Channel to remove approximately 170,000 cy of sandy material that will be placed at the nearshore placement site off Wells Beach. The work consists of two parts: 1) full maintenance dredging of the Wells Harbor FNP features which include an 8-foot Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) entrance channel, adjoining settling basins, and a 6-foot MLLW inner channel and anchorage area; and 2) periodic maintenance dredging of portions of the FNP on an as-needed basis. Full maintenance dredging entails removing approximately 170,000 cubic yards (cy) of sandy material from the FNP, excluding the conservation easement. A cutterhead pipeline dredge will remove the material and pump it to areas on Wells and Drakes Island Beaches for beach nourishment. Full maintenance dredging work is proposed to be performed between September 15 and March 31 in the year(s) in which funds become available and will take approximately six months to complete. Periodic maintenance dredging of the FNP, primarily areas in the 8-foot entrance channel and settling basins (previously dredged to 12 feet deep) will occur every one to four years. A government-owned hopper dredge, such as the Currituck or Murden, will remove approximately 10,000 to 50,000 cy of material during each periodic dredging event. Placement will occur at the nearshore placement site off Wells Beach.
Written comments or hearing requests about this dredging project need to be received by DMR at the email or mailing address listed below by 5:00 p.m. March 24, 2023.
Department of Marine Resources, Attn: Amanda Ellis, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333 email: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov.
Questions about this project need to be sent to: environmentalreview.dmr@maine.gov