Domino Sugar to reconstruct Baltimore refinery’s bulkhead
Domino Sugar plans to rebuild a bulkhead along the shoreline of its Baltimore harbor refinery, a project designed to protect against erosion and environmental contamination.
Domino’s parent, American Sugar Refining Inc., outlined the project in an application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A public comment period will run through March 13.
A spokesperson for American Sugar could not be reached for comment Monday.
The Baltimore plant on Key Highway, which marked a century in operation in April 2022, can produce more than 6 million pounds of sugar per day. It nearly quadrupled its storage capacity more than a year ago, when it also rebuilt a raw sugar storage shed that was destroyed in a threealarm fire.
The proposed project, both demolition and reconstruction, involves constructing a “steel king pile bulkhead” to replace 620 feet of failing timber bulkhead, according to the public notice issued by the Army Corps Baltimore district. It includes removing more than 5,200 square feet of a pile support concrete platform, building 310 square feet of new concrete platform and installing equipment such as underwater intake pipes. Permits are required under the federal Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act.
The work is needed “to provide shoreline erosion protection and stability, improve water supply reliability, and reduce environmental contamination risk along the Domino Sugar Baltimore Facility’s shoreline,” the notice says.
It said American Sugar Refining evaluated several alternative shoreline erosion control structures but selected a steel bulkhead after considering soil structure, existing onsite soil contamination and other factors.
“The project will provide beneficial aid in the remediation efforts of capping and preventing contaminated groundwater from reaching the Northwest Harbor of the Patapsco River,” the notice said.
Preliminary reviews by the Army Corps have shown that the proposed work will not have an adverse effect on threatened or endangered species, essential fish habitat or historic properties. But the Army Corps will take public comments into consideration as part of a decision to issue, modify or deny a permit.
Comments or a request for a public hearing can be submitted by mail to Zachary Fry, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Regulatory Branch, 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, or electronically to zachary.t.fry@usace.army.mil.