A deal appears to be taking shape that would allow dredge material to be dumped on an island that is home to a state park and migratory birds.
Tradepoint Atlantic, the logistics center in Sparrows Point, is seeking approval to reopen the dredging facility at Hart-Miller Island, which is off Baltimore County’s coast.
In exchange, several people said that Tradepoint is offering $40 million, to be split evenly for recreational improvements to the island and to nearby communities.
Paul Brylske, with Friends of Hart-Miller Island said while he’s pleased with the proposal, he believes the island deserves more money. Brylske had requested $50 million for island improvements.
The Hart-Miller Island discussions are conjuring up memories of an environmental battle waged and lost.
In the 1970s and 80s, nearby residents tried unsuccessfully to stop the dumping of dredge on the island, fearing an environmental disaster. The legal case went as far as the U.S. Supreme Court.
The dredge storage facility was closed in 2009.
Aaron Tomarchio, Tradepoint’s executive vice president of corporate affairs, said at a community meeting in August that reopening the island to dredge storage would be “a fantastic win-win-win situation.”
Tradepoint plans to build a deep water terminal at its Sparrows Point facility and would like permission to have the muck scooped up from that project stored on Hart-Miller Island.
Tomarchio said the terminal “will alter the course of global trade on the East Coast of the United States and elevate Baltimore to a rightful position as a premier port on the East Coast of the United States.”
Tradepoint said if it can put the dredge from the project on nearby Hart-Miller Island, it will be able to open the $1 billion terminal sooner. In return it will pay for improvements to the island and offer perks to nearby communities, perhaps a new park or money for fire and rescue squads.
An economic study conducted for Tradepoint Atlantic predicts the new terminal will create more than 8,000 jobs by 2035 and add more than $1.5 billion annually to the state’s economy.
According to legislation passed by the 2024 General Assembly, Baltimore County officials have until the end of the year to decide if they support reopening the island for dredging. While other permits and approvals are needed, the project would go no further without the county’s approval.
On a boat ride from Bowleys Quarters, Hart-Miller Island comes into closer view. Tree lined. A sandy beach. Boats anchored off shore.
Brylske said it’s flanked by racially and economically diverse communities like Turner Station, Edgemere and Back River Neck.
Brylske said, “They all come together by the water, and often they all come together at Hart-Miller Island.”
A portion of the island is a state park but there’s no public pier. Brylske said that’s a problem.
“There’s really no access onto the island except to pull your boat up on the beach or to anchor out and walk through the water,” Brylske said.
He added old public bathrooms need replacing. There should be more trails and a visitor’s center.
There are concerns about the dredging going forward.
Henry Hutton with the Holly Neck Conservation Association is concerned about a private company using a public asset.
“Which is something we should all be very clear on,” Hutton said. “On what the value of that asset is and what the value of that disposal area is.”
Joe Corcoran, the president of the Baltimore Bird Club, said Hart-Miller Island is a major stopover for migratory birds.
“We’re very concerned,” Corcoran said. “We want to make sure that as this dredging process occurs, that a number of these species aren’t affected.”
Paul Brylske is excited about the prospect of a partnership with Tradepoint, but he’s also cautious.
“We don’t know what’s going to be dredged,” Brylske said. “Tradepoint’s not finished with their core samples.”
Tradepoint said dredging has come a long way with environmental standards and permitting safeguards in place. It is currently conducting an analysis of the dredge material. About one-third of the results are back and the dredge is “very clean,” according to Pete Haid, Tradepoint’s vice president of environmental.
Opponents of the earlier dredging now applaud it. They say it created one island from two smaller ones that were eroding.
Amber Parsley comes often to the state park part of the island with her children.
“There’s a lot for them to do,” Parsley said. “They can see wildlife if they want on the other side of the island.”
Carlos Guevara and his family camped overnight.
“This is a very peaceful place,” Guevara said. “We were swimming last night at midnight. That was amazing.”
The part of the island that contains the old dredging facility is closed to the public. The land still needs to be filled in and new dredge could be the solution for that.
Brylske said hopefully, one day, it too will be part of the park.
Brylske said, “You just look at the expansiveness of it, and then you look over, you see the Eastern Shore it’s like, ‘oh, I get it now.’”
A Community Benefit Agreement Steering Committee is currently holding meetings to decide whether there is support for the project and to come up with recommendations on how money from Tradepoint would be divided up.
Tradepoint presented its $40 million proposal at the committee’s meeting Tuesday.
