Norfolk Harbor Channel News

The Navy announced on September 8 its decision to deepen approximately five miles of the Norfolk Harbor Channel in the Elizabeth River. This action will allow the continuous safe and expeditious travel of aircraft carriers to and from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and the Lamberts Point Deperming Station. Dredging this heavily-used waterway, which is the federal navigation channel within the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, would occur from the Lamberts Point Deperming Station in the Lamberts Bend Reach, south to NNSY in the Lower Reach. Dredging would occur completely within the existing Army Corps of Engineers-maintained federal navigation channel.

Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on Aug. 26, 2004, a $2,500,000 increment as part of a $9,600,259 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and new work dredging inbound and outbound elements of Norfolk Harbor Channel and new work dredging of the South Terminal at Norfolk International Terminals. Work will be performed in Hampton Roads, Va., and is expected to be completed by July 1, 2005. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 19 bids solicited on June 29, 2004, and five bids were received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-04-C-0074).

Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on Aug. 26, 2004, a $2,500,000 increment as part of a $9,600,259 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and new work dredging inbound and outbound elements of Norfolk Harbor Channel and new work dredging of the South Terminal at Norfolk International Terminals. Work will be performed in Hampton Roads, Va., and is expected to be completed by July 1, 2005.

The US Navy published a notice stating that it intends to prepare an environmental impact statement for proposed dredging of the Norfolk Harbor Channel in the Elizabeth River. The dredging is necessary to provide the service’s aircraft carriers with safe and unrestricted access. Public scoping meetings will be held in Norfolk (October 4) and Portsmouth, Virginia (October 5). Source: HK Law