19961054 Ver 2_Public Comments_20110523 (2)

Brian Donnelly, 1912 Wolcott Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403
Owner of Unit #8 Cape Fear Marina Association
Mr. Dave Timpy
Wilmington District
Corps of Engineers
69 Darlington Avenue
Wilmington, NC 28402
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Re: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Issue Date May 10, 2011: Comment Deadline June 8, 2011
Corps Action I.D. SAW-2009-01242 Bennett Brothers Yachts, Inc request for Maintenance Dredging of Marina
Dear Mr. Timpy,
I am in support of Bennett Brothers Yachts request for maintenance dredging as proposed
in their Form 4345 Individual Permit and joint application for NC DWQ 401 Water Quality
Certification. Please forward these comments on to Ms. Karoly at the Division of Water
Quality.
I am a boater that has been to the Bennett Brothers Yachts/Cape Fear Marina on the
North East Cape Fear River in Wilmington, NC, a NC Clean Marina.
Marinas give the boating public safe access to the water, with many opportunities for
sailing, boating, fishing and other water sports, and provides jobs for boatyard and
other marine service workers.
As I understand it, the requested dredging is entirely within the footprint of the
existing marina, and no new slips are proposed. The dredging is to restore portions of
the marina to pre-construction depths. Pictures show some of the main docks aground at
low tide, which can eventually cause a safety hazard. Safety is important to me as a
boater. Apparently the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission has agreed and has
issued Bennett Brothers a permit by Variance to allow this dredging.
Bennett Brothers has offered mitigation, minimization and restoration with their permit
application. This seems to be a reasonable offer to any perceived or unintended
impacts of the maintenance dredging. Docks sitting on the bottom twice a day should
not be considered as environmentally better than free floating docks. This 1.85 acre
dredge project of less than 4000 cubic yards, not impacting wetlands, in a river that
has a federally maintained (by taxpayer money) shipping channel, at a site dating back
to the 1850's as a commercial wharf, should be approved without delay.
Sincerely,
Brian Donnelly =W6ffan'4.
CC: Ms. Cyndi Karoly
NCDWQ 401
Oversi9ht and ExP ress Permits Unit. 1650 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27669