The U.S. House passed a bill allowing the Army Corps of Engineers to develop dredging plans around the country.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said provisions she pushed for will make it easier to get dredging approved for small harbors like those along the Maine Coast.

“Small harbors have significant dredging needs keep them open for fishermen and recreation boaters and they just haven’t gotten the funding they need for a long time,” Pingree said. “By putting more money into dredging overall and setting aside money specifically for small harbors it will be more likely that these harbors get the attention they need.”

The legislation shouldn’t have any impact on Bath Iron Works, spokesman Willy Ritch said.

Pingree also fought to include a provision that deauthorizes a disused navigation channel in Rockland Harbor. The location of the channel was making it difficult for a marine business that supplies the local fishing industry to keep a barge tied to a pier that is used to load lobster bait. The channel couldn’t be discontinued without congressional action.

Historically, Congress has passed such legislation every two years to provide clear direction to the Corps, but no bill has been signed into law since 2007.

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