The US Coast Guard will not be returning its buoys (federally maintained ATONs – aids to navigation) to Milton Harbor this spring as original intended. The Coast Guard had removed its buoys after silting had become so bad it was impeding their ability to access the harbor to conduct maintenance.
The City of Rye dredged the harbor last fall to a five foot depth – the required depth for the Coast Guard to do its work. But the post dredge survey raised concern with the Coast Guard.
“After careful review of the survey, we have determined it is not feasible to safely return the temporarily removed federal Coast Guard buoys this spring,” said Assistant Public Affairs Officer PAC Rob Simpson of the 1st Coast Guard District in Boston, Massachusetts. “The City of Rye may continue to mark the channel for the upcoming boating season with the private aids to navigation that were used last year.”
The Coast Guard affirmed its intent to eventually return its buoys to Milton Harbor. “The Coast Guard remains committed to returning the federal buoys to Milton Harbor once the required depths are achieved,” said Simpson. “In the meantime, Coast Guard Sector New York will continue to work with the City of Rye and support the private aids to navigation efforts.”
“I expect in the coming weeks, we are going to be talking to our consultant and our dredger and city engineer and figure out what the next steps are,” said Rye City Manager Greg Usry. “We do have additional capacity under our our Army Corps permit, to do additional dredging in the channel.”
The dredger is already scheduled to be back this fall to work on the removal of silt from the Rye Boat Basin. “In the meantime, we have a significantly improved channel and it is more than properly marked,” said Usry. “It is marked in accordance with exactly what the Coast Guard requires.”
