Miss Katie dredge permits suspended by Corps of Engineers for violations

From SamalkerOBXNews.com

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District has suspended Dare County’s permits for dredging in Oregon and Hatteras inlets and nearby channels for what the military said is repeated violations by the dredge operated as a public-private partnership.

According to a press release, the Corps has stopped all work conducted by EJE Dredging Service, which owns and operates the $15 million Miss Katie dredge that is funded by the state and county.

A letter detailing the suspension of five federal permits for dredging by the Miss Katie was received by County Manager Bobby Outten late Wednesday afternoon.

“This suspension will remain in place until the county provides USACE with proper documentation that an enforceable and viable protocol is in place to ensure compliance,” according to a press release. “Dare County must monitor, prevent, and self-report any future violations and non-compliance.”

The Corps said notices were issued in April and August of 2023 for violations related to work in what is formally known as the Manteo/Shallowbag Bay federal channel, which includes multiple channels through Roanoke Sound, in and around Wanchese, Oregon Inlet, out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Data from the National Dredging Quality Management Program between September 2023 and June 2024 shows “work was unnecessarily conducted by dredging well outside the authorized widths and depths of the navigation channels,” the Army Corps said.

That data come from sensors mounted on board the Miss Katie, which is a 156-foot shallow-draft hopper dredge.

It pulls sand through a pair of suction booms, places it in the hold known as a “hopper”, then steams to another location, opens up the bottom doors and dumps the spoils.

The Corps said 98% of all dredging done in the Manteo/Shallowbag Bay area were not in compliance with the permit.

The News and Observer reported Thursday the data shows the Miss Katie dredged as much as 445-feet outside the authorized area, or “box”, while still dumping the spoils in areas that are authorized under the permit.

The N&O also reported the violations in 2023 were related to dredging outside the box and also deeper than permitted, and that EJE Dredging was not conducting surveys of the channels as required by the permit.

“The suspension is necessary due to the continued disregard of permit conditions and failure of implementing any corrective actions,” the Corps said.

EJE Dredging is based in Greenville, and had no experience as a dredging company when it was awarded the contract for the Miss Katie in 2018.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer is Jordan Hennessy, who at the time was legislative assistant for former state Sen. Bill Cook (R-Beaufort), and is among those credited with securing funding from the General Assembly for the dredge.

The dredge was built by EJE Dredging using a forgivable loan, charging the state and county a reduced rate for work until the $15 million is paid off.

The dredge was completed at a Louisiana shipyard, and began working in the waters off Dare County in 2022.

Hennessy has come under recent scrutiny for ventures involving dealings with Dare County on proposed housing developments on Roanoke Island and in Kitty Hawk that stalled, and a state domestic violence program that is the subject of a grand jury inquiry according to The N&O.

He currently serves as a member of the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission, after being appointed last year by Republican state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey.

Those who use the inlets and adjacent waterways on a daily basis were surprised by the announcement, and expressed their worry about the dredge not being able to work to keep the inlets open as both the fall fishing and hurricane seasons reach their peaks.

“The timing of this is a bit disheartening,” said Woody Joyner, President of N.C. Watermen United, a nonprofit group that represents those who rely on fishing as a way of life.

“USACE remains committed to a strong partnership with Dare County, however, the permit conditions must be met to minimize adverse long term negative impacts to aquatic and cultural resources,” the Corps stated.

The Corps said a meeting with the county will be scheduled “to collaboratively discuss and define responsibilities, a compliance protocol and a path forward to reauthorize the five suspended permits.”

Dare County Public Information Office Dorothy Hester said county staff is reviewing the data to determine the discrepancies and work with the Corps to resolve the issues.