Carper Brings Army Corps Leadership to Port of Wilmington

WILMINGTON, Del.  — Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, hosted the new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division Commander, Major General Jeffrey L. Milhorn, and the new Philadelphia District Commander, Lt. Col. David C. Park, to tour priorities and ongoing project sites at the Port of Wilmington, America’s No. 1 seaport for fresh fruit imports. During the tour, Carper, Milhorn and Park viewed the future port expansion site at Edgemoor, and discussed how new, major investments at the port will help create jobs and boost regional economic growth. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for dredging and maintaining the access channel connecting the new Edgemoor expansion site to the main channel of the Delaware River.

“The Port of Wilmington supports more than 19,000 jobs, and the Corps’ tireless work is absolutely essential to its daily operations and contributions to our regional economy,” said Senator Carper, who last year worked to pass America’s Water Infrastructure Act, reauthorizing the work of the Army Corps of Engineers. “The port’s new investments in the Edgemoor expansion will help fuel considerable job growth, but we know that private dollars can’t do it alone. To take full advantage of this opportunity, it’s important that the Corps work diligently with the Port of Wilmington in the dredging and maintenance of this access channel, and that this important work stays on schedule. As we chart out key provisions in the next water infrastructure reauthorization bill, I will once again work hard to make sure First State needs are reflected.”

Last month, Sen. Carper hosted Lt. Col. Park in Bethany Beach to observe the impact of the Corps’ renourishing projects at Delaware’s beaches. Today’s tour is another important part of making sure Delaware projects are prioritized at the Army Corps of Engineers.

In 2018, President Trump signed into law America’s Water Infrastructure Act, a major bipartisan, bicameral water infrastructure bill co-authored by Senator Carper that advanced key programs and made much-needed legislative changes to support clean drinking water systems, waterways, beaches and port projects.

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