A federal judge ruled late Monday that the US Army Corps of Engineers does not have to dredge the Cuyahoga River at this time. The judge said combining the request to dredge with a lawsuit filed last year would “confuse and delay” the resolution of the 2015 case.
Last summer, Judge Donald Nugent ordered the Army Corps to dredge the Cuyahoga and pay for the cost of dumping the sediment into an enclosed disposal site. This week, the judge denied the state of Ohio and Port of Cleveland’s request to extend that order. In his decision, Judge Nugent suggests the dredging request filed earlier this summer should be separated from a 2015 suit between the state and the Army Corp.
The US Army Corps of Engineers says its review of the river shows that so far this year, dredging isn’t necessary. The Army Corps has just wrapped up a survey of the Cuyahoga River and plans to release data later this month. The The Port of Cleveland plans to discuss the decision with the state and says it will take action quickly. The Port says transportation on the river isn’t running as easily as it should because the shipping lane isn’t deep enough for heavy cargo ships.
It’s been almost a year since the Army Corps dredged the Cuyahoga River.