Friday, November 16, 2007

Schumer calls for Port of Oswego to be dredged

OSWEGO, N.Y.-- The Port of Oswego is seeing its highest level of activity in almost a decade. Part of the reason is the increased need for windmill blades and other products used for renewable energy production throughout the state.
But decreasing water levels could force all of that action to a stand still.

Jonathan Daniels, Port of Oswego Executive Director, said, "We want to address this issue before it becomes a situation where we have to shut down or lack access to the terminals."

Shallow water is a result of decreased precipitation and increased levels of silt, or soil in the water. Senator Charles Schumer has asked the Army Corps of Engineers to remove that soil from the port.

"We're very please they brought attention to this," said Daniels.

Officials say the port was last dredged in the 1990s. But the need for dredging exists throughout the Great Lakes.

"The Army Corps of Engineers, they're doing all that they can do in order to be able to address this issue. Again, there's just a backlog of projects that need to be taken care of," Daniels said.

In the coming weeks, the Army Corps of Engineers is expected to visit the Port of Oswego.

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