Operators of the Sparrows Point Shipyard will resume dredging allegedly toxic sediment at the bottom of the Baltimore Harbor at least until January after community members opposing the project agreed to postpone court proceedings.
Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Dana Levitz was scheduled to rule on the Dundalk community?s request to permanently halt the dredging near Key Bridge Friday. But attorneys for the shipyard?s owner said they filed a motion to dismiss the claim, delaying hearings at least until January.
“The company went through the permitting process and did everything they were supposed to,” said John West, attorney for the shipyard?s president, Vincent Barletta. “We don?t think there?s anything to these claims.”
Members of the Greater Dundalk Alliance asked Levitz earlier this week to impose a temporary restraining order against Barletta?s company, known as Sparrows Point Shipyard Limited Partnership. Levitz granted the request Monday but ordered the community to post a $750,000 bond to cover the company?s potential losses if he later lifted the order. Given only a day to post the bond, Alliance members said they were unable to convince a bonding company to help, and Levitz lifted the restraining order Tuesday.
Levitz will hear the motion to dismiss Jan. 5 and community members said they are forced to “bite the bullet” as the dredging continues in the interim.
“It was too much to prepare in that short of a time period,” said Alan Silverberg, an attorney for the community. “We felt it would be better even if it allowed them a little more time to do the dredging.”
