Great Lakes Article:

Port of Oswego needs dredging
By Joleene Des Rosiers
News10Now.com
Published December 6, 2007

OSWEGO, N.Y. -- Global warming, lack of rain, and no routine maintenance has all created what folks in the water world refer to as silt. Dirt that accumulates on the bottom of the lake bed.

Vessels topped with goods only add to the problem as they scrape the bottom of the port, kicking the silt back up and around.

In 2007, the cash was there to dredge the port and solve the problem. But as quickly as the cash appeared, it disappeared.

"I think you take a look at it as a Great Lakes basin as a whole and I think all of us are frustrated. The budget was put into place. They money was actually in a line item, and all of a sudden, you turn around and because we're under continuing resolution, that goes by the wayside,” said Jonathon Daniels who is with the port authority.

Emergency funding could be an option, but either way, the dirt needs to be removed. And the Army Corp of Engineers is on board.

"We're here to do our best with the Port Authority, and it's great for us to be able to team up with them; make sure that we understand what all their issues are and at the same time, we can let them know what our issues are. Together we can work through these problems and come up with the best solution,” said the Corps’ Michael Asquith.

Because of the lack of funding, the dredging that was supposed to happen in 2007 didn't take place. The Port Authority is keeping its fingers crossed that it does happen in 2009.