Harbor dredging receives additional federal funds

The federal government injected about $1.75 million in additional funding for the dredging of Newport Harbor, Councilman Mike Henn announced Tuesday.

The city’s roughly $7.8-million project would bring the pleasure harbor closer to its original depths, but funding obstacles and regulatory approvals have held up the process.

“That’s a tremendous advance here,” said Henn, who had planned to raise some of the funds from private parties interested in the harbor.

Henn asked City Manager Dave Kiff to consider making up the remaining $250,000, which would increase the city’s contribution from $2.5 million to about $2.75 million.

Private harbor users are not “off the hook,” Henn said, calling for them to pay for additional dredging.

The federal government has already committed $2.4 million to the job.

—Mike Reicher

Twitter: @mreicher