Delaware permit denial could delay dredging

Pennsylvania's Gov. Rendell yesterday characterized Delaware's denial of river-dredging permits as procedural and "a lot of ado about nothing."

But it seemed possible Delaware's action could delay the project a few months.

Delaware environmental officials denied the permits for the $379 million project on Friday, saying its information was outdated because the scope of the dredging project had changed since the permit applications were filed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2001.

Rendell has vigorously supported deepening the Delaware River's shipping channel to 45 feet from 40 feet. The deeper channel would allow bigger ships to use Philadelphia-area piers.

Supporters say the project, which has been talked about since the 1980s and would be managed by the Army Corps, could create 13,000 jobs in the Philadelphia area and bring millions of dollars in investment to the region.

Critics say the project could stir toxic sediment on the river bottom, could hurt aquatic life, and would mostly benefit chemical and oil refineries. They hailed Delaware's denial as a major obstacle to dredging.

"It was purely procedural," Rendell said of Delaware's action. He spoke in a brief interview in Harrisburg and said he and Delaware Gov. Jack Markell talked over the weekend.

"The Delaware folks wanted to have a report submitted to them so they could make a judgment on dredging," Rendell said. "The governor and his chief of staff promised us that once the report is submitted, they'll have an expeditious review."

Rendell described the review process as taking three or four months.

Joe Rogalsky, spokesman for Markell, confirmed that the two governors spoke and that Delaware was seeking a new report on the dredging project's effect on the river. Delaware officials would judge this report from the Army Corps on its merits, Rogalsky said, noting that the state denied the dredging permits "without prejudice" and was not necessarily opposed to the project.

The Army Corps, a federal agency, has advertised the first bids for the project. Those bids are due Sept. 3 and could be awarded Oct. 6.

Army Corps spokesman Ed Voigt said yesterday that "nothing was set in stone" and that "we haven't gotten to a point of not turning back."