WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A bill that will help the Wilmington Port has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a news release from U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre’s Chief of Staff.

McIntyre is a co-sponsor of the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act, which would make improvements to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF).

Between 1998 and 2008, the HMTF, which finances dredging costs, disbursed over $69 million to the Port of Wilmington and over $200 million to the state of North Carolina, according to McIntyre’s office. Reforming the HMTF would “deliver more dollars to the Harbors that finance the fund.”

“This is great news for the Wilmington Port! I am pleased that my colleagues and I were able to approve this measure on a bi-partisan basis so that centers of maritime commerce like the Wilmington Port are able to better maintain the safety and soundness of navigation lanes,” McIntyre stated in a news release. “Reforming the fund will ensure that the Wilmington Port receives the money it deserves from the contributions of its users to the fund.”

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Three public workshops are planned for area residents to talk about the Wilmington/New Hanover County Comprehensive Greenway Plan.

Each of the following workshops will feature the same information, according to Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Director Mike Kozlosky:

• April 16, 4-7 p.m. at the Wilmington City Council Chambers, located at 102 North 3rd Street
• April 18, 4-7 p.m. at Carolina Beach Town Hall, located at 1121 North Lake Park Blvd.
• April 19, 4-7 p.m. at Ogden Elementary School, located at 3637 Middle Sound Loop Road

Residents will have a chance to comment on the development of “greenways,” which include bicycle and pedestrian trails, water-based trails for canoeing and kayaking, and preservation corridors that will serve as open space.

Project consultants and staff members will be on-hand at each of the events to answer questions gather input.

For more information, visit www.wilmingtongreenway.com.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The New Hanover County Health Board approved a formal policy to keep mosquito sprays away from people who don't want it.

Some homeowners worry the chemical will hurt their organic gardens or beehives.

Those who don't want the spray near your house will need two signatures from neighbors saying it's okay.

New Hanover County does not spray everywhere, only in areas where large numbers of mosquitoes are reported.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.