North Carolina Fishing Reports

Capt_Dave

Help needed in fight to keep waters open

To the editor:

Recent articles in The Daily News reinforce the fact that Eastern North Carolina's inlets are in trouble.

The Coast Guard announced last week that New River Inlet had shoaled so severely that navigational buoys had to be pulled. Other inlets in Onslow and Carteret counties are also clogging quickly.

These problems are tied to years of refusal by a series of presidents to adequately budget for maintenance of shallow draft inlets across the country. In last year's budget, the administration included no money to dredge the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW), New River Inlet or any of Eastern North Carolina's other shallow draft projects. And despite repeated congressional attempts to educate administration officials about the economic importance of our waterways, they repeated their mistakes in this year's budget.

Eastern North Carolinians need to know that I and others in the North Carolina congressional delegation strongly opposed these cuts. In fact, we fought through the appropriations process and put funding for our waterways back into the budget. In Fiscal Year 2005, $2 million was added for the AIWW, $250,000 for New River Inlet and $250,000 for New Topsail Inlet.

This money will prevent these waterways from shutting down for the rest of the year, but it will not bring immediate relief or address the problems at our other coastal inlets. More money is needed, and the North Carolina delegation and I continue to explore all options for securing supplemental funding as quickly as possible.

Eastern North Carolinians can assist in this effort. The Bush Administration needs to hear from citizens that its budget is threatening our coastal economy. They also need to hear how critical it is to reallocate funding to maintain our waterways. If you have a moment, I urge you to call the director of the President's Office of Management and Budget and make your voice heard on this important matter.

Walter B. Jones

Capt_Dave · Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:22 am Post subject:

Captain Stanman asked me to CC HIS reply here....

Here's the rest of the story:

"$250,000 for New River Inlet and $250,000 for New Topsail Inlet."

"This money will prevent these waterways from shutting down for the rest of the year."

The $250,000 for each of the Inlets mentioned is only enough money for one Side Cast Dredging for each Inlet which will last from 1 1/2 to 3 months. Side Casting moves sand from the Inlet to the sides of the inlet, a temporary fix. Dredging is removing the sand from the Inlet and pumping it on to beaches or to spoil islands, a longer lasting solution.

Congressman Jones also states: "I urge you to call the director of the Presidents Office of Management and Budget and make your voice heard on this important matter."

Walter what phone no.are we to call?

Here it is 202 395 4840. If you have to leave a message, please specify the dredging of Inlets in N. C. especially from Bogue Inlet to Carolina Beach. Some people have talked to a real person at that no.

Note-Of all the elected officials that were contacted, Walter Jones was the ONLY ONE THAT DECLINED THE INVITATION.

http://www.captainstanman.us/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4561


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