Casey to Administration: Invest Unallocated Army Corps Dollars into Delaware Deepening Project

Washington DC- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) urged the Administration to invest yet unallocated resources from the Army Corps budget into the Delaware Deepening project. In the current fiscal year, the Army Corps still has dollars that haven’t been allocated to particular projects. Dedicating more remaining resources to deepening the Delaware will help meet the goal of a 2017 completion date. Casey has continually pressed the Administration and Congress to invest in the project, which will help support existing jobs and has the potential to create new jobs.

“There’s no better investment of unallocated resources in the Army Corps’ budget than the Delaware Deepening project,” Senator Casey said. “These extra funds will provide momentum for the drive to complete the project in 2017. Deepening the Delaware will result in job creation, economic growth and a generational change to the Port of Philadelphia.”

The full text of Senator Casey’s letter can be seen below:

Dear Assistant Secretary Darcy:

I write to you today to reiterate my strong support for funding the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project.  This project is one of my top priorities, and I deeply appreciate the time and resources that the Army Corps of Engineers have invested to date. As you know, the President included $35 million for this project in his proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Budget, which Congress funded in the FY 2015 Omnibus bill.  In the bill, Congress also provided an additional $95 million for navigation projects administered by the Corps of Engineers, and I urge a significant portion of this funding be allocated in the Fiscal Year 2015 Work Plan to the project. This funding will be an important step toward advancing the project toward its target completion in 2017. 

It is my understanding that once the channel is deepened, the Port of Philadelphia will be able to receive Post-Panamax vessels and subsequently will see an increase of 2.5 million tons of cargo. As the expansion of the Panama Canal nears completion, I remain committed to ensuring that Philadelphia is able to receive Post-Panamax vessels. Once this project is completed, it will help spur economic growth and create new jobs in the Philadelphia region. As of now, the project is more than halfway complete and with continued sufficient investment, it could be completed by 2017.  A significant investment for this project in the FY 2015 Work Plan and in the President’s Budget will allow for efforts to remove rock near Marcus Hook to be undertaken in a cost effective and environmentally sound manner.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your continued commitment to the Delaware River Deepening Project.  I look forward to continuing to work with you to bring this important project across the finish line.

Sincerely,

Robert P. Casey, Jr.                           

United States Senator                        

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