PRINTER'S NO. 2095
No. 197 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, LOEPER, SALVATORE, BELL, HOLL,
TARTAGLIONE, THOMPSON, BOSCOLA, COSTA AND LEMMOND,
JULY 26, 2000
REFERRED TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, JULY 26, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Expressing strong support for the Delaware River channel-
2 deepening project and urging all parties to work towards the
3 expeditious completion of the project.
4 WHEREAS, The 130-mile Delaware River navigation channel has
5 an authorized depth of 40 feet that is maintained by the Army
6 Corps of Engineers; and
7 WHEREAS, The United States Congress has authorized the
8 deepening of the channel to 45 feet from the Delaware Bay to the
9 Ben Franklin Bridge, a distance of approximately 90 miles; and
10 WHEREAS, The Army Corps of Engineers has estimated that the
11 channel-deepening project will cost approximately $300 million,
12 the cost of the project to be shared by the Federal Government
13 (65%) and the local sponsor (35%); and
14 WHEREAS, The Delaware River Port Authority, a regional
15 transportation agency serving the people of southeastern
16 Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is the local sponsor; and
17 WHEREAS, The Port of Philadelphia and Camden, a division of
18 the Delaware River Port Authority, is promoting the channel-
1 deepening project as essential for the port to maintain its
2 competitive position among east coast deep-water ports; and
3 WHEREAS, The Army Corps of Engineers has estimated that
4 during the three-year channel-deepening project the region will
5 benefit from 1,600 jobs, $204 million in wages and the resulting
6 tax revenues; and
7 WHEREAS, Once completed, the deeper channel will enable the
8 port to better accommodate larger, deeper-draft breakbulk
9 vessels that carry heavier cargoes resulting in the port
10 becoming more cost-competitive, attracting more cargo and,
11 consequently, more jobs to the region; and
12 WHEREAS, The deeper channel will open the door to post-
13 Panamax containerships, the next generation of container
14 vessels, because a 45-foot channel will firmly place Delaware
15 River terminals in a position to service these vessels; and
16 WHEREAS, The deeper channel will mean larger payloads per
17 vessel, greatly benefiting Delaware River terminals by making
18 the terminals more cost-competitive and increasing the
19 opportunity to market intermodal opportunities; and
20 WHEREAS, The deeper channel will reduce the need for oil
21 tankers to lighten their vessels before proceeding up the
22 Delaware River to refineries and decreased lightening activities
23 will result in reduced risk of accidents and spillage in the
24 Delaware Bay; and
25 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are all
26 contributing to the local funding necessary for the channel-
27 deepening project and, specifically, Pennsylvania appropriated
28 $15 million in its capital budget as its share of the local
29 funding; therefore be it
30 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania expresses strong
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1 support for the Delaware River channel-deepening project and
2 urges the Governor to release the appropriated $15 million for
3 the project when necessary; and be it further
4 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania urge all parties to
5 work together towards the expeditious completion of this
6 important economic development project; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
8 the Delaware River Port Authority and to each member of the
9 Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware congressional delegations.
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