Dredging Firm Gets Go-Ahead, Although Obama Omits Dollars
Norfolk Dredging, which has been dredging the Delaware River to maintain its 40-foot channel, has now been given the go-ahead to deepen the channel another five feet to 45 feet.
This follows the decision by US District Judge Sue L. Robinson, seated in Wilmington, who negated an injunction sought by the State of Delaware against the dredging without first getting permits from Delaware.
Notwithstanding the fact President Barack Obama’s latest budget, for the second time, does not include money for dredging, it is expected Congressman Bob Brady, together with the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and its two US Senators, Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, will again put the money into the budget before voting their approval.
The move is seen by Washington insiders as an attempt by the President to trade for his preferences should he need votes from the Democrats in either chamber. Brady expressed confidence “The dredging will have all the money it needs. We don’t intend to allow it to be held up, after all these years of fighting to keep our economic lifeline to the sea open to world shipping.”
The Congressman cited the judge’s verdict, saying, “This was an important decision that will move the region forward economically. The Judge’s ruling means that we have saved 75,000 jobs and $1 billion in wages for our region; this is a win for the workers and our economy. Since I was elected a Congressman in 1998, I have been fighting to beat back amendment after amendment, aimed at killing the project. But today, we move forward with a project designed to keep the Delaware River Ports competitive with other East Coast ports.”
In her decision, the Judge wrote, “the public holds a vested interest in the nation’s environmental-preservation efforts,” but that “the public holds an equally compelling stake in the continued economic vitality of the Delaware River Ports.” She noted, “Congress has made the determination that it is in the public interest to proceed with the Deepening Project.”
The combined ports of the Delaware River currently support an estimated 75,000 jobs, generating billions of dollars of economic activity and payroll wages, and contributing more than $150 million in State and local taxes. The deepening, first proposed almost two decades ago, is projected to directly create more than 8,000 new jobs and is critical to the long-term economic prospects of Philadelphia-area ports.
The deepening is projected to create $1.35 in new economic benefit for every $1 of the project’s cost.
Other ports across the country, including the Port of Baltimore and Port of New York/New Jersey, have already either begun or have completed deepening projects. The Port of Baltimore recently announced a private sector investment of $750 million after the deepening. If the Delaware River is not deepened, area ports will be at a competitive disadvantage.
The dredging will start from the Chesapeake & Delaware Channel to a point just south of Wilmington, at which time the Judge will either permit the dredging to continue further upstream or hold it up for further dialogue among the governmental authorities involved of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Board Chairman John Estey welcomes the go-ahead, indicating, “It is great news for the thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on Philadelphia area ports and for the taxpayers who will see economic benefits from the deepening.”
William McLaughlin, director of governmental and public affairs, said, “Dredging should get underway by the end of this month.” He noted Judge Robinson will literally have her “input in the dredging all the way.”
It’s been three decades since Congress voted approval for the dredging, which essentially keeps the Delaware River as a strategic military asset. The Port of Philadelphia has for some time now been designated a Strategic Military Port by the Defense Dept., making it one of the major depots for sending and receiving military cargo.
Proponents of the deepening point to the fact many of the shipping lines plying the oceans with their ships soon will not be able to come up the Delaware to the Port because their newer ships call for channels deeper than 40 feet.
Philadelphia’s Port is constantly being refurbished, with additional cargo and port support areas being added for the anticipated increase in shipping that will come when dredging is complete.
