Army Corps of Engineers: Seattle port dredged too deep

Army Corps of Engineers: Seattle port dredged too deep Federal penalties are being considered against the Port of Seattle for overdredging at two port sites.
   Last month, port officials informed the Army Corps of Engineers that port contractor General Construction had removed more sediment than allowed under a federal permit obtained for the project. On Friday, the Corps confirmed the violation and launched a 30-day fact-finding period to determine if penalties against the port are called for.
   The port dredging project was being performed at two sites to allow the relocation of cruise ships from an area south of downtown Seattle to Terminal 91.
   A Corps spokesperson told the Seattle Times that the port went beyond their permitted removal volume by nearly 1,400 cubic yards, enough to cover a professional basketball court eight feet deep and a typical tennis court to a depth of nearly 20 feet. The material was deposited in other parts of the bay, as allowed under the permit.
   Port officials, stressing that they provided the contractor with all permit limitations in the course of the project, suggested that the contractor may have used a larger dredging bucket than originally calculated.
   In a written statement, Port Chief Executive Tay Yoshitani expressed disappointment in the violation.