PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard said that they are overseeing the removal of 56 aids to navigation in the Virginia Inside Passage on Virginia’s Eastern Shore from June to August.
“When aids to navigation become a potential hazard to navigation, it is our responsibility to remove them,” said Capt. Rick Wester, commander, Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads. “We appreciate all of the public input we have received on this project, and we’ll continue to fully advertise the timeline for removal of specific aids via the Local Notice to Mariners.”
The Coast Guard made the move after consulting with local maritime partners and the Army Corps of Engineers in 2016, identifying 166 aids that had the highest chance to lead to dangerous situations for boaters.
The Coast Guard hired local contractors to remove the 56 markers beginning June 1.
The remainder of the aid markers will be removed in 2019.
Officials say, the Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers and Eastern Shore Regional Waterways Committee continue to identify and to prioritize future areas for dredging. If funding becomes available to dredge the waterways and a minimum of 6 feet can be achieved, the Coast Guard will evaluate re-marking them.
