A major expansion project at the Port of Wilmington is at a standstill. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has put the billion-dollar Cape Fear River deepening project on hold following a wave of pushback from local leaders and environmental advocates.
The project—known as Wilmington Harbor 403—is meant to deepen the river from to accommodate larger shipping vessels. However, the federal agency rescinded its review request this week to address a growing list of concerns.
Six coastal municipalities, including Southport and Bald Head Island, have passed resolutions against the project. They warn that dredging thirty-eight miles of the river could worsen PFAS contamination, raise mercury levels, and accelerate shoreline erosion…