WILMINGTON — The public now has more time to comment on a proposal to deepen and widen the Cape Fear River’s Wilmington Harbor navigation channel.
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The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management has extended the comment deadline for the Wilmington Harbor 403 Navigation Project to Dec. 20, moving it from the original Dec. 5 cutoff.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking to deepen and widen parts of the channel in Brunswick and New Hanover counties to handle larger ships traveling to the Port of Wilmington.
Critics, including environmental advocacy groups Cape Fear River Watch and the N.C. Coastal Federation, contend the project could worsen saltwater intrusion in the Cape Fear River, stir up PFAS-contaminated sediments, and accelerate coastal erosion.
NCDEQ is currently reviewing the Corps’ federal consistency determination, which assesses whether the project meets North Carolina’s coastal management policies. As part of that review, a public hearing held Nov. 17 drew about 50 attendees and more than 20 in-person comments.
Coastal Management will issue its decision — whether to agree, conditionally agree or disagree with the Corps’ federal consistency determination — by Jan. 5, 2026.
Written comments will be accepted through Dec. 20 by email (subject line: Federal Consistency: USACE Wilmington Harbor 403 Navigation Project) or by mail to:
Federal Consistency Coordinator, 400 Commerce Avenue, Morehead City, NC 28557.
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