Kaptur Secures Over $17.6 Million in Army Corps Funding for Dredging Northwest Ohio HarborsPress ReleaseTradeJobs and the Economy

Toledo, OH - Today, as Northwest Ohio kicks off Watershed Weekend and the start of summer and the heart of boating season approaches, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development announced $17,613,000 in Federal funding has been allocated by the US Army Corps of Engineers for dredging and critical jetty repairs at five federally maintained harbors in Ohio's 9th Congressional District. This Federal funding has been secured at Congresswoman Kaptur's urging and reflects her leadership on the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, which oversees the Army Corps' operations and maintenance accounts responsible for keeping our Nation's navigation channels safe and functional.

"These federal funds will help ensure recreational boaters, fishing charters, and commercial vessels can move safely in and out of our harbors," said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). "Maintaining proper harbor depth is essential not only for public safety and enjoyment, but for the economic vitality of Northwest Ohio and our vibrant Great Lakes region. Our harbors, our fishing industry, and our boating culture are part of who we are in the Great Lakes region and especially as stewards of our beloved Lake Erie. I'm happy I could help deliver these Federal funds to keep our harbors open for business, for recreation, and for the safety of all who rely on them not just in the summer season, but all year round."

Congress passed this Appropriations funding package in January with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 397-28 in the House of Representatives and 80-15 in the Senate to ensure the US Army Corps of Engineers had the funding necessary for Fiscal Year 2026. Following passage, Congresswoman Kaptur wrote directly to Army Corps leadership to highlight urgent dredging needs across Northwest Ohio and successfully pressed for these allocations.

The Army Corps recently released its annual Work Plan detailing how Federal Appropriated funds passed by Congress would be distributed across harbors nationwide. Congresswoman Kaptur is pleased to announce the following investments:

• Toledo Harbor (Lucas County) - $9,205,000 for dredging approximately 760,000 cubic yards this fall. Within this amount, an allocation of $250,000 is made to further develop a dredged material management plan to guide Army Corps' disposal of dredged material from Toledo Harbor in future years. Toledo Harbor is a major deep-draft commercial port for the Midwest, connecting to 35 other ports and the intermodal transportation network for the region. It is authorized by Congress to be maintained by the Army Corps at a depth of up to 28 feet, and the project area spans seven miles of Maumee River channel and 18 miles of Maumee Bay.
• Port Clinton Harbor (Ottawa County) - $4,266,000 for repairs to the east and west jetties, which provide 4,180 feet of protection for this harbor of refuge. The harbor is authorized by Congress to be maintained at a depth of 10 feet, and supports commercial ferry service to Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island and nearly 80 charter fishing operations generating over $1.2 Million annually for the local economy. The Army Corps is working toward awarding of a contract for this jetty repair work this fall with construction to take place throughout next year.
• Sandusky Harbor (Erie County) - $1,806,000 for dredging approximately 110,000 cubic yards to begin later this year. Within this amount, an allocation of $250,000 is made to advance a long-term dredged material management plan to guide Army Corps' disposal of dredged material from Sandusky Harbor in future years.
• West Harbor (Ottawa County) - $1,610,000 to dredge the entrance channel to 10 feet and the access channel to eight feet. The Army Corps awarded a contract last week for dredging to begin next month, and the awarding of a second contract for the most recently allocated funds is expected later this year for an additional round of dredging next spring. West Harbor was last dredged in 2018 and is one of the busiest recreational harbors on the Great Lakes, supporting nearly 125 charter vessels generating close to $2 Million annually for the region.
• Cooley Canal Harbor (Lucas County) - $726,000 for dredging approximately 10,000 cubic yards at an authorized depth of four feet. Cooley Canal Harbor was last dredged in 2004-22 years ago-and supports more than 60 charter fishing boats generating over $350,000 annually for the local economy. Project design work is scheduled to begin later this summer with dredging to occur in 2027.

In addition to these five harbors being dredged this year and next year, Congresswoman Kaptur continues to advocate for federal investment in other regional waterways, including Huron Harbor, Put-in-Bay Harbor, Vermilion Harbor, and the Toussaint River. The Toussaint River project remains particularly challenging due to local cost-share requirements and former Army operations there. The recent tragic boating fatality there has renewed attention to this harbor, and Congresswoman Kaptur's office is working closely with the Army Corps, Carroll Township, and local stakeholders to identify potential solutions and funding opportunities that could improve safety and restore navigable depth at that channel moving forward.

Congresswoman Kaptur continues to leverage her seniority in Congress on the House Appropriations Committee and her strong working relationships with Army Corps leadership to ensure the Army Corps of Engineers maintains safe navigation in Northwest Ohio's harbors, advances innovative and beneficial uses of dredged material, and completes long-term management plans that will guide responsible dredging and disposal practices while protecting the health and ecosystem of our Great Lakes including Lake Erie's Western Basin.

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