Senior U.S. District Judge, Donald Nugent, ruled in favor of the state of Ohio on Friday, ordering the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pay the costs of dumping sediment from its 2015 dredging into lake contaminant dikes.
In his 52-page opinion , Judge Donald Nugent said that USACE “unreasonably delayed” the dredging of the Cuyahoga River when it refused to dredge the channel back in 2015.
“This is a great outcome for the state of Ohio. It reaffirms that the Corps is responsible to pay for the 2015 Cleveland Harbor Dredging Project,” said Ohio Attorney General, Mike DeWine, in its statement.
“Dredging the Cleveland Harbor is critical to Ohio’s economy and properly disposing of the dredged material is critical to the environment. We’re pleased the Judge agreed with our position, and we will continue to advocate tirelessly for the people of Ohio and for the health of Lake Erie.”
This ruling is the latest development in a years-long debate between the agency and the state of Ohio.
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