U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the news that the Administration will allocate over $31 million in their fiscal year 2013 budget for the Delaware Deepening Project:
“ The inclusion of over $31 million to the Delaware Deepening project in the President’s budget is a significant victory for the region that will help ensure that the Port of Philadelphia has the ability to compete with other cities along the east coast. This project will increase commerce in the region which will in turn create jobs. I will continue to fight to ensure that this job gets done .”
The project deepens the Delaware River Channel from forty to forty-five feet in order to accommodate larger vessels. This will reduce shipping cost, make maritime transportation more efficient and make the channel safer and more reliable Once the channel is deepened, there will be an estimated increase of 2.5 million tons of cargo to the Port of Philadelphia, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, February 14, 2012; Image: casey.senate