Bipartisan Dredging Bill Passes in the Senate | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C. - The North Carolina Senate on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, passed Senate Bill 160 (Enhance Safety & Commerce for Ports/Inlets), legislation that addresses the issue of open and navigable channels at the state's inlets and ports. Senator Bill Cook (R-District 1), Senator Harry Brown (R-District 6), and Senator Michael V. Lee (R-District 9) are the primary sponsors of the legislation. The Senate passed SB 160 in a bipartisan vote, 43-1, and it has been sent to the House.

    "Our inlets and ports are avenues of commerce for our state. This bill will protect and enhance that commerce," Cook said.

    This legislation would transfer $6 million from an unappropriated fund in the Department of Commerce to the Shallow Draft Navigational Channel Dredging and Lake Maintenance Fund. It reserves $4 million of that appropriation for Oregon Inlet dredging, which must be matched 1 to 1 by non-state dollars.

    Other funds are reserved for provisions related to the Department of Administration (DOA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The bill appropriates $750,000 to DOA for the Department can retain counsel and prepare to meet the deadlines required in state statute for the long term solution of Oregon Inlet. The bill also appropriates $150,000 to reimburse DOA for its costs associated with exploring options for acquiring Oregon Inlet and the adjacent real property.

    "When a port is allowed to become too shallow - ships are forced to light load, which means they cannot get sufficient quantities of their product to market. When inlets are allowed to become too shallow - fishermen and boat builders cannot get to the ocean," Cook said.

    The bill establishes a Deep Draft Navigation Channel Dredging and Maintenance Fund. Appropriations from this fund will be used for projects that provide safe and efficient navigational access to our state ports. In addition, state funds provided to this fund will be cost shared on a one-to one basis with funds from the State Port Authority.

    The Department of Administration is requested to negotiate with the federal government to acquire the federally owned property needed to manage deep draft navigation channels at the Morehead City State Port facilities in trade for state-owned real property.

    "The federal government has rarely achieved the authorized depth and width of several North Carolina navigation channels in the last decade, and if and when achieved, it was very short lived," Cook said. "Therefore, attempts are proceeding to put together state and local funding in the short term to fill the obligation, which is ultimately a federal responsibility in order to avoid a complete navigation shutdown at our waterways."

    The legislation would enact a coastal waterway user identification number to be displayed on the bow of 24 foot and larger vessels, which operate in coastal waters of our state. The funds generated from this fee will be placed into the Shallow Draft Inlet Dredging Fund. In addition, the legislation directs the Coastal Resource Commission to amend its rules for the use of temporary erosion control structures in certain situations.

    Included in the legislation will allow Dare County to use up to $3 million each year from its Occupancy Tax collections to maintain its waterways. Lastly, this bill allows all coastal municipalities and county governments to remove abandoned vessels from their navigable waters.

    "The Oregon Inlet under the Bonner Bridge in the Outer Banks was recently closed. All too often, the inlet has been closed more than 25% of the time in recent years. A recent May 2014 economic study indicated an annual economic impact of 4,348 jobs and $548.4 million to the State of North Carolina annually," Cook said. "Additionally, the study showed that if the inlet was passable 365 days a year, the total annual economic impact could reach $1.5 billion. This bill will enable North Carolina to keep her inlets open."

• Contact: Jordan Hennessy
•     jordan.hennessy@ncleg.net