Public input sought for Corps of Engineers study on Port of Wilmington channel

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As the Cape Fear region grows, the Port of Wilmington is looking to keep up.

And now, the US Army Corps of Engineers wants your input on a new study that will affect the port.

The Port of Wilmington previously held a feasibility study looking at deepening the channel leading to the port from 42 feet to 47 feet.

Congress gave conditional approval, not full approval, to the plan, raising several concerns, ranging from environmental to economic impacts.

The Army Corps of Engineers was asked to do their own environmental impact statement looking at those effects with the Corps holding an information meeting Thursday afternoon where the public could give feedback.

Bret Walters is the chief of the planning branch for the Wilmington district of the Corps.

Based on this study, he said there are several ways the project could go.

“We’re looking at the 47-foot alternative that was recommended in the 203 report and then a one-foot shallower alternative to 46-feet,” Walters said. “Those are the two action alternatives and then we’re of course gonna study the potential to do nothing other than maintain what we have today. And so that would be the no-action alternative.”

Conditional approval from Congress does not mean the project will be moving forward at this time.

The Corps’ study won’t be presented until late next year.

Any actual work is not expected to start until 2026 at the earliest.

The public comment period will remain open through late July.