Two Harbors A Step Closer to Building a Safe Harbor.

Two Harbors- Two Harbors is known as a beautiful get away on Lake Superior.

Area officials are working on plans to expand their tourism capabilities and also create a safer boating experience on the lake.

Legislators and officials met Wednesday to discuss the plan to build a safe harbor here for boaters in Two Harbors.

Nearly 17 million tons of iron ore are moved from agate bay in Two Harbors yearly.

When the ore ships come in to dock, the bay becomes unuseable to recreational boaters.

Mayor Randy Bolen, "so what we're proposing is to put in a safe harbor of refuge just for our recreational boating community. And what's being proposed, by our old coal dock, taking out 400 thousand cubic yards of material and providing a separate safe harbor of refuge just for our recreational boaters."

The project will increase tourism to two harbors but the issue is really one of maritime safety.

DNR official Larry Killien said, "so that if you are out in your boat and you either have mechanical issues or there's a storm, you're never more than about 15, assume you're about a mile off shore. You're about 15, 16 miles from the next facility."

The US Coast Guard said in 2012, there were 221 weather related boating incidents and 404 mechanical boating incidents, nationally.

The DNR, area, State officials and consultants met to talk about the next steps.

They are looking for state and federal funding.

Mayor Bolen says this project should have been completed years ago.

"If you go to places like Bayfield, Silver Bay, communities all over the great lakes, this is already in place. This is decades long overdue in our community."

Bolen says they are hoping for federal funding to the tune of 7 million dollars.

While there are many different sources of funding, before any ground can be broken it's crucial that Two Harbors secures funding.