The Navy and Electric Boat joined the coalition of supporters in Connecticut, including the state's congressional delegation, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dredged Material Management Plan for Long Island Sound, Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, announced Wednesday.

“By sending comment letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of the Corps' proposed Long Island Sound dredging plan, the U.S. Navy and Electric Boat have added essential perspective to the critical need to adopt the plan in a timely fashion,” Courtney said in a news release. “Both entities — which are pillars of the Long Island Sound economy — depend on reliable and long-term access to realistic dredging options.”

He noted that the Thames River, on which both the Naval Submarine Base and Electric Boat are located, requires regular dredging to allow normal operations of submarine transit and shipbuilding.

Approximately 10,000 sailors work and reside at the sub base in Groton, and there are 13,000 employees at Electric Boat in Groton and Quonset Point.

Courtney said the Army Corp’s plan would “create a clear path for future operations of both facilities.”

He stressed that the region should recall that in 2005, when the sub base was on the federal government list for possible closure, the Navy raised questions about the future of dredging disposal in Long Island Sound in its calculation of military value.

“At a time when the Groton base is embarking on a new national command, the Undersea Warfighting Development Center, and EB is about to embark on construction of the new Ohio replacement submarine, it is critical to put this issue to bed and embrace the 30-year Corps plan which has received widespread support from a diverse coalition of stakeholders in the LIS region," Courtney said.

Bob Ross, executive director of the Connecticut Office of Military Affairs, said that since 2005, federal and state investments in infrastructure improvements at the base and EB have totaled about $250 million.

“These investments are designed to increase the military value of the base and enhance operational efficiency for these major regional employers who play an increasingly prominent role in national defense,” Ross said. “The (Army Corps’ plan) retains the options we need to manage cost, protect the environment and support future operations.”

John Johnson, legislative chairman of the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, also stressed the importance of dredging to support the state’s maritime economy.