Delaware River Deepening Project

[ADDfishing]

Pls. excuse me for linking another site, but in this case, it's for the greater good...

The Army Corps of Engineers is going forward on a Delaware River dredging project without permits from the State of Delaware and the State of New Jersey. They're basically flippin the bird and telling us to take it.

http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/News/P...e_permits.aspx


Please take a few minutes to scroll through this thread. Like I said, I apologize in advance for linking another site, but it's not about advertising - it's for the greater good. I hope admin understands...

http://www.saltfish.net/discus/messa...tml?1257207788


In case you don't read it, here is what I wrote in the other thread:


"I did a large research paper on this in 01 when I was in college… It’s been a while, so I’m not up on all the details anymore, but it was initially supposed to change the channel from 35’ to 40’… Now I see 45’!!! Besides the contaminants being stirred up, the question at the time was what to do with the spoils? Some area along the river is going to get destroyed through it’s use as a spoils deposit. They didn’t have any areas secured then, and probably don’t want to discuss now either. For anyone who enjoys the outdoors… we’ll never get those areas back. What John is telling us makes it even more saddening, the project isn’t even worth doing because of neighboring port depths… Not to mention that it could wipe out the need for a long standing business on the river – lightering. The savings from discontinuing lightering will not trickle down to the consumer, it will merely hurt local jobs, and the project it self will irreversibly destroy natural resources. All we can do is take it…"

This is real, and I believe that we have wetlands, fish populations, and jobs at stake. That's why I'm taking some time to write about it. I hope I don't create a problem on here, I'm just afraid that I'll tell my children how things "used to be" rather than show them...




Thanks,
Kevin

[Snapp]

I think I bought into the conspiracy theory after reading this..

"the corp just finished the largest dredging project in US history up in new york. now all that equipment is sitting ideal, and all of sudden now its del. time no matter what!! probably just a coincident, but im sure somebody's pockets are gettng well line by the approval of this project."

$$$$$$ is the driver so someone somewhere is benefiting...

my $.02

[jackdaniels]

New Jersey on Monday filed a federal lawsuit in Trenton to block Army Corps of Engineers plans to deepen the Delaware River shipping channel, accusing the federal agency of ignoring environmental permit and study requirements.



Delaware filed a similar U.S. District Court action in Wilmington on Friday, after the corps said it planned to start work as early as next month despite the agency's failure to secure a permit for construction in state waters.

Both states requested court injunctions barring the corps from starting work before it completes several environmental studies and permit reviews.

The corps wants to deepen the 103-mile channel between Philadelphia and the sea to 45 feet from its current 40-foot depth. Supporters of the $300 million project say local ports need the deeper channel to remain competitive with other shipping centers.

New Jersey revoked a Coastal Zone Management permit for the work while disputing federal plans for disposal of the dredged sediment. Dela- ware rejected a corps request for an underwater construction permit in its waters earlier this year, and said the agency needs to revise its request for a Delaware Coastal Zone Management approval.

"The Army Corps has decided to go ahead with its completely irresponsible plan to circumvent New Jersey's strong environmental protection processes and plow blindly ahead with dredging," New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said in a written statement. "I cannot allow the people of South Jersey to have these dredge spoils dumped on them."

A corps spokesman in Washington, D.C., said the agency would not comment on pending legal actions.

Environmental groups have separately warned they will file their own lawsuits, and said the federal agency had failed to consider risks that the dredging will disrupt aquatic habitats and release toxic compounds locked up in the sediment.