On the recordMarch 1, 2010
I have sought recognition to introduce legislation concerning the beneficial use of materials derived from river dredging activities. This concept was the subject of a Committee Resolution passed by the Committee on Environment and Public Works on October 26, 2005. This legislation relates directly to the deepening of the Delaware River, which was authorized in the 1992 Water Resources Development Act. The project deepens from 40 to 45 feet the main shipping channel of the Delaware River from Philadelphia and Camden, NJ, to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. Deepening the river will help sustain and grow the maritime economy of the Delaware Valley region, as the river's current depth, which has remained stagnant since 1941, does not accommodate the size of most modern ships. Despite the tremendous benefit the deepening will have on the region, some concerns have been raised regarding the disposal of the dredge material that will be produced during the deepening process.
