CONCORD, Mass. – Bath Iron Works Corporation is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the United States in conjunction with testing ships and maintenance dredging in Bath, Maine.

Bath Iron Works Corporation proposes to place gravel and stone fill material below the high tide line of the Kennebec River in Bath to cover approximately 7,020 square feet of river bottom adjacent to one of the applicant’s ship  berths to provide approximately 3.5 feet of scour protection during required testing of ship electrical systems (for both generating and propulsion). This propulsion testing program is known as the Brake Wheel Project and is designed to test ship power but with no thrust while a ship is dockside.

Concurrently, Bath Iron Works proposes to conduct maintenance dredging at several locations at their facility. Corps permit No. NAE-2007-02528 authorized similar dredging and contained Special Conditions allowing continued maintenance dredging upon notification to the Corps. Approximately 70,000 cubic yards of primarily sand will be dredged by mechanical means from a 12.6-acre area to a depth of -70 feet mean low water (mlw) to re-establish operational depths within their drydock sinking basin. This material will be disposed of at an in-river disposal site located downriver off of Bluff Head. Approximately 3,500 cubic yards of sand and silt will be dredged by mechanical means from an 8-acre area to a depth of -14 feet mllw to restore operational depths within their drydock landing grid. This material will be disposed of at an upland, non-wetland location.   

The application for the federal permit was filed by Bath Iron Works with the Corps of Engineers in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in United States waters, including wetlands, and with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the United States.                                    

The public notice, with additional information, can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Regulatory/Public%20Notices/.

Public comments referencing this permit request by Bath Iron Works (File # NAE-2012-01393 and NAE-2007-02528) should be forwarded no later than Nov. 23, 2012 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Maine Project Office (ATTN: Jay Clement), 675 Western Ave., #3, Manchester, Maine 04351. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Jay Clement at 207-623-8367 or by email to jay.l.clement@usace.army.mil.