Massachusetts Federal Delegation Secures Funding for Plymouth Harbor Dredging

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WASHINGTON – The state’s federal delegation has secured $13.5 million dollars to dredge Plymouth Harbor ahead of the 400^th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower in 2020.

Current sediment levels in the harbor are so high that ships, including the newly-restored Mayflower II, cannot sail in and out of the Harbor.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have released the funds to complete the work by 2020 after a site tour last week with Senator Edward Markey.

In April, Sen. Markey led a letter with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative William Keating calling on the Corps to provide funding for the dredging project in the FY 2018 work plan.

“As we prepare to mark the 400^th anniversary of the Mayflower, we also celebrate the important role this historic harbor plays in our communities,” Warren said. “The dredging project will help support the local economy, and I’m glad to have worked with Sen. Markey and Congressman Keating to get this critical federal support.”

Keating said the engineering plans for the dredging should be finished and reviewed in time for the Army Corps to advertise the contract as early as mid-July, award the contract by September and see work in the harbor begin by November.

“This is an efficient and concise timeline, and I applaud the Army Corps for making this project happen so quickly,” Keating said. “I look forward to continuing to work with them and see this critical project to completion.”