Plan announced for Tangier Island jetty

TANGIER ISLAND, Va. (AP/WAVY) - Governor McDonnell announced plans Tuesday to build a jetty protecting the harbor on Tangier Island.

Gov. McDonnell said the seawall and jetty will protect the harbor, which is Tangier Island's commercial fishing center.
The project will cost $4.2 million.

The governor was joined by the Army Corps of Engineers and Congressman Scott Rigell Tuesday.

Photos: Tangier Island announcement

Rigell wrote about the signing ceremony on Facebook, saying: "The hard working folks of Tangier Island carry on a Chesapeake Bay legacy that is truly unique, and we must do what is necessary to preserve this treasured place."

The island in the Chesapeake Bay has been threatened by erosion and storm surges for years.

"There's no protection anymore since the erosion problem has gone beyond what we thought it ever would do," waterman Jeff Crockett said. "You hear so much about rebuilding the bay.  well you start rebuilding the bay by protecting the ecosystem."

The federal project for a jetty and seawall has been on the drawing board for more than 15 years. Much of the island's economy is dependent upon the harbor serving as a hub for commercial fishermen.