25-WL-0529 / 202560820 - JOSEPH K. BROWN, c/o Michelle Peters at 3524 South River Terrace, Edgewater, MD 21037 has applied to mechanically dredge a 995 SF of area to a depth of 5.0 feet and replace in kind an existing boat lift. The purpose of this project is to restore navigable access to the owner’s boat lift. Public comments should be received no later than August 15, 2025. The project is located at Joseph Brown’s residence on Brewer Creek at 3524 South River Ter, Edgewater, MD 21037. For more information, please contact Guy Stefanelli at
[email protected] or at 443-979-3830.
22-WL-1018(R4) / 202261591 - AMERICAN SUGAR REFINING, INC., 1100 Key Highway East, Baltimore, MD 21230 has applied to modify Wetland License 22-1018(R3) to include new activities at the Domino Sugar Refinery located at 11000 Key Highway East, Baltimore, MD. The proposed work includes hydraulically dredging a 2,745 square foot irregularly shaped area to a depth of 6 feet at mean low water; and to deposit approximately 389 cubic yards of dredged material at an approved upland disposal site. Mitigation will be assessed through payment into the State Tidal Wetlands Compensation Fund. The purpose of this project is to improve water supply reliability into the existing bay water intake pipes. For more information contact Matt Wallach at
[email protected] or 410-207-0893
24-WL-1192/25-WQC-0023/202461807: MDOT MARYLAND PORT ADMINISTRATION, Amanda Peñafiel, World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 has applied to restore 2,072 acres of remote island habitat, with 45% upland and 55% wetland creation in the vicinity of the historic area of James Island located in Dorchester County near Taylors Island. The proposed project is part of the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project and will include the restoration of approximately 1,097 acres of wetlands and 897 acres of uplands, resulting in an overall disturbance of approximately 2,460 acres of bay bottom and open water habitat including 99 acres of the James Point historic oyster bar. The project is expected to provide the capacity for placement of up to 95 million cubic yards of dredged material from suitable federal channels within the Chesapeake Bay and will be located within 0.75 miles to 3.54 miles from the mean high water line at Taylor Island. The applicant is proposing to: 1) Construct 45,233 linear feet of perimeter armored dikes, including 20,713 linear feet of upland perimeter dikes averaging 260-foot wide and initially constructed to 11 feet mean lower low water (MLLW), and then incrementally raised with sand to 25 feet MLLW before reduction to the final elevation of 20 ft MLLW; 24,520 linear feet of wetland perimeter dikes averaging 160-foot wide with a maximum elevation of 11 feet MLLW; 6,200 linear feet by 400-foot wide wetland/upland transition zone with an initial height of 11 feet MLLW; and 37,129 linear feet of internal wetland dikes at 25-foot wide; 2) Construct a 3,500-foot long by 120-foot wide breakwater to the north and a 2,500-foot long by 120-foot wide breakwater to the south of the turning basin; 3) Construct a 249-foot long offloading bulkhead with two 72-foot long returns and support piles and backfill adjacent to the armored dike and within the turning basin; 4) Construct two dolphins with four 3-foot diameter steel piles and a 17-foot by 19-foot pile cap within the turning basin; 5) Construct a personnel access pier that includes an 8.5-foot long by 22-foot wide gangway landing, an 80-foot long by 6-foot wide gangway to a 10-foot long by 14.5-foot wide landing platform adjacent to a 200-foot long by 20-foot wide fixed platform and an 80-foot long by 6-foot wide gangway to a 40-foot long by 40-foot wide floating platform all within a maximum of 110 feet channelward from the top of the perimeter dike; 6) Construct two upland spillways, twelve wetland spillways, four tidal inlet box culvert structures, and six wetland weir structures of various sizes with wetland structures to be removed as the wetland cells are restored; 7) Dredge by hydraulic method 17 million cubic yards of sandy borrow material from the proposed upland cell to a depth of 35 feet below MLLW and place the material behind constructed dikes within the northern wetland complex referred to as the sand stockpile area to later be used for on-site construction; 8) Dredge by hydraulic method a 2,500-foot long by 1,000-foot wide turning basin and an 8,400-foot long by 600-foot wide access channel to a maximum depth of -26 feet MLLW, within a 209 acre area including the 3:1side slopes, and removing up to 4 million cubic yards of material which will be placed within a confined cell if it is silty material or within the sand stockpile area if it can be used for construction; 9) Dredge by hydraulic or mechanical method areas with unsuitable soils in the armored perimeter dike foundation area totaling 4,500 linear feet by 150 feet wide to an approximate depth of 20 feet MLLW and remove approximately 600,000 cubic yards of soil which will be placed hydraulically or mechanically in a confined cell away from the sand stockpile; 10) Install 14,000 linear feet of a 12-inch bundled submarine cable utility line from Taylors Island using a 24-foot wide weighted underwater sled and trenching a 2-foot wide by 8-foot deep trench below the bay bottom; 11) Construct shoreline features such as reefs, reef balls, breakwaters within 50 acres (design to be determined); 12) A 100-foot buffer around the dike perimeter is designated for potential impacts during construction and impacts from conversion to reef habitat; 13) Collect seasonal exterior benthic and sediment samples for monitoring at 15 sampling locations and 1 reference location using a 9-inch by 9-inch ponar sampler; and 14) Perform 100-foot deep by 8-inch diameter geotechnical borings at 100 sites within the island project vicinity. The purpose of this project is to restore remote island habitat and to provide capacity for up to 95 million cubic yards of dredged material. A pre-scheduled in-person public hearing will be held if one is requested by the public during the public comment period (July 15, 2025 – August 15, 2025). The hearing is pre-scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on August 26, 2025, at the Madison Volunteer Fire Department, 1154 Taylors Island Rd, Madison, MD 21648. A poster session/display will be available from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM where project drawings can be reviewed and MDOT Maryland Port Administration representatives will also be available to answer questions. The purpose of the hearing, if it is held, is to gather information and hear testimony to assist the Department in making a determination for the proposed project detailed above. The pre-scheduled public hearing will be cancelled if no requests to hold the hearing are received by the end of the public comment period at 5:00 PM on August 15, 2025. Please check the Department's website for updates on the hearing status at the following link: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/Pages/JamesIsland.aspx. Comments and/or a public hearing request may be provided to Mary Phipps-Dickerson in writing addressed to the Maryland Department of the Environment, Wetlands and Waterways Protection Program, c/o Mary Phipps-Dickerson, 201 Baptist St., Suite 22, Salisbury, Maryland 21801 or by email at
[email protected] or Telephone at 443-509-0797.
24-WL-0621/ TALBOT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM, 215 Bay Street, Easton, MD has applied to construct a 162-foot long by 5-foot wide walkway over vegetated tidal wetlands including two “bump outs” that measure 14-feet long by 6-feet wide with a 40-foot long by 5-foot wide ramp, and a 43-foot long by 20-foot wide floating kayak launch, all extending a maximum of 222 feet channelward of the mean high water line. The applicant has also proposed a 95-foot long by 5-foot wide walkway over vegetated tidal wetlands with a 110-foot long by 5-foot wide pier, and 25-foot long by 15-foot wide platform, all extending a maximum of 230 feet channelward of the mean high water line. The purpose of this project is to allow public navigable access to launch kayaks and provide a public fishing pier. The project is located in the tidal waters of the Tuckahoe Creek and Norwich Creek at 13211 Lewistown Rd, Queen Anne, MD 21601. For more information, please contact Michaela Harrington at
[email protected] or 410-537-4182.
