Corps Seeks Comments for Port Tampa Bay Expansion

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District has published a public notice for the proposed Port Tampa Bay expansion project. The permit applicant proposes to dredge and expand existing port facilities to accommodate additional demand for deep-water cargo service in the Port Tampa Bay area.

The proposal seeks to build a 63-acre upland expansion to create seven new deep-water berths, associated backlands and dredging of berths and turning basin. The construction of the new berths will require placement of 7,080 linear feet of bulkhead along the frontage of the berths, 63 acres of backfill and the dredging of approximately 14 acres of bay bottom to a depth of -34 feet plus 2 feet of over-dredge for berths 155 through 158 and approximately 42 acres of bay bottom to a depth of -43 feet plus 2 feet of over-dredge for berths 152 through 154. The proposed project will be built in three major phases.

To consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity, the Corps is seeking comments from the public, federal, state and local agencies and officials, and other interested parties. Comments will be accepted through March 2. Questions concerning this application should be directed to the project manager, Candice Wheelahan, in writing at the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33610, or Candice.M.Wheelahan@usace.army.mil, by fax at (813) 760-7061 or by phone at (813) 769-7064.