- posted January 9, 2006
NJEF ACTION ALERT!
Help Stop Delaware Deepening Project!
Dear NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF) Members and NJ Activists,
Please call and write New Jersey and Delaware Governors TODAY and urge them to stick to their commitment to oppose the Delaware Deepening Project. The project is 100 miles of dredging and some blasting, up the Delaware River to Philadelphia to a depth of 45 feet (currently at 40 feet) within four feet of a pristine aquifer serving 3 states. It will cost at least $264 million and many think the cost could be as high as $500 million.
WHY OPPOSE THE DELAWARE DEEPENING PROJECT?
The Delaware River deepening will:
- Threaten to contaminate drinking water supplies in NJ and DE with salt water intrusion and dangerous toxic chemicals. The blasting operations could crack and “nick” the rock protecting the aquifer and experts are concerned that dredge spoil disposal sites could leach dangers toxins into aquifers.
- Not provide more jobs or oil to the region. It will put more money in the pockets of oil companies by reducing their need to offload or “lighter” the tankers in Delaware Bay. Some port companies/industries will actually lose jobs.
- Subject NJ and DE residents to 50 to 75 foot high piles of toxic dredge spoils—eating up prime riverfront land and floodplain areas and inundating these communities with toxins and heavy metals.
- Cost taxpayers and commuters money, while the oil companies and those in the port industry who benefit aren’t putting up a dime for the project. Commuters will be stuck again with another toll hike.
- Be an economy buster. According to the federal General Accounting Office (GAO), for every dollar spent on this project, only 50 cents of benefit will be returned to our region.
- Threaten to harm Delaware River and Bay oysters, blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, and the federally endangered shortnose sturgeon—all very important economically and ecologically to the region.
- Not result in more cargo coming up the river or position us to challenge other ports on the east coast whose channels are 50 feet and deeper.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Please join numerous politicians, citizens, organizations, and businesses from around the region to object to Delaware Deepening because it is not viable economically and is a major threat to the health and welfare of our region.
Pennsylvania politicians, led by Governor Rendell, have been trying to pressure and even threaten NJ and DE to abandon their objections to the project. It is critical we not let this happen. Please write to NJ Governor elect Corzine and Delaware’s Governor Minner and ask them to take a clear stance against the Delaware River Deepening and Pennsylvania’s bullying tactics.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Governor_____________,
Please oppose the Delaware River Deepening Project.
This project does not make economic sense—a reality identified by, and reported on, by the federal General Accounting Office (GAO).
This project threatens drinking water supplies, a clean Delaware River, important river species including horseshoe crabs, oysters and blue crabs, and many river communities with dredge spoils and other adverse impacts.
The project will not increase oil production in the region, will not increase the amount of cargo brought to our region, and will not bring us jobs—to the contrary it will threaten currently secure jobs and might threaten our role as a niche port for the containership industry.
Your help in this important battle is critical right now. Please stick with your past commitment and continue actively to oppose the Delaware River deepening project. I would appreciate a written response to my request.
Sincerely,
Name, Address
Thanks for taking action!
Jenny Vickers
NJ Environmental Federation
1002 Ocean Avenue, Belmar, NJ 07719
Phone: 732-280-8988
Email: jvickers@cleanwater.org
www.cleanwateraction.org/njef
