More than $3.4M allocated for Josias River dredging project at Perkins Cove in Ogunquit
OGUNQUIT, Maine — The federal government has allocated more than $3.4 million for surveys and dredging of the Josias River at Perkins Cove, both of Maine's U.S. senators announced Wednesday, Jan. 19.
The projects were included in the Army Corps of Engineers’ work plan for Fiscal Year 2022, with funding that was secured through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November, according to a joint statement from Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King.
In addition to Ogunquit, the announcement from Collins and King said the work plan also includes more than $6.3 million for breakwater repairs and surveys in Bar Harbor, more than $3.9 million for dredging and surveys of the Narraguagus River in Milbridge, and $4.8 million for dredging of Scarborough River in Scarborough.
"These critical dredging projects for Bar Harbor as well as rivers in Ogunquit, Milbridge, and Scarborough will help address significant safety and navigational concerns for commercial fishermen as well as recreational boaters," the senators said. "Maine’s waterways are the lifeblood of many coastal towns and support our state’s economy. These investments are excellent examples of how the bipartisan infrastructure package is creating jobs and providing substantial benefits to Maine’s communities and families."
October 2021: Senators back funding to rebuild Ogunquit's iconic Perkins Cove footbridge
Collins, the ranking member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, was part of the core group of 10 senators who negotiated the text of the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Ogunquit Select Board Chair Heath Ouellette celebrated the news with a Facebook post thanking Town Manager Matthew Buttrick for his work with Collins' office on the project.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: More than $3.4M in dredging planned for Ogunquit ME Perkins Cove
