A Baltimore County Circuit Court judge ordered the operators of the Sparrows Point Shipyard to halt dredging Monday.
The ruling appeased area activists who said the toxic sediment settled at the bottom of the harbor could have “catastrophic” health effects if disturbed.
Judge Dana Levitz issued a 10-day temporary restraining order against Sparrows Point Shipyard Limited Partnership, which on Dec. 8 began dredging around the peninsula and depositing the sediment in a basin at Hart Miller Island. Members of the Greater Dundalk Alliance, who brought the complaint, have until 4:30 p.m. today to post a $750,000 bond ? a challenge, they said, for the low-income community. The bond will be turned over to the shipyard if the restraining order is lateroverturned.
Nevertheless, the Alliance called the decision a victory in its pursuit against a proposed liquid natural gas facility at the peninsula.
“The judge had to weigh between the health and environmental damages and the damages claimed by the company, which he thought was just money,” said Alan Silverberg, attorney for the community.
Attorneys for SPS and its owner, Vincent Barletta, declined to comment. A formal hearing is scheduled Friday to debate a permanent order.
State officials said they will not renew a contract with the shipyard?s owner to use Hart Miller Island for dredge disposal. That gives the company until Jan. 31 to dredge as much as 600,000 cubic yards of material.
Barletta maintains the dredging is to accommodate larger tankers at a ship-repair facility. But Dundalk activists said the dredging is related to the $400 million LNG facility proposed by Virginia-based AES Corp. Pipes from the facility would run through Harford County.
Russell Donnelley, a biochemist listed on the complaint, said the channels are already deep enough to handle any ship ? except a loaded LNG tanker.
