N.J., national environmental groups file lawsuit to halt Delaware River dredging

[ensho]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/nj_national_environmental_grou.html


Five national and state environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in New Jersey today to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from beginning a $379 million project to deepen the shipping channel in the Delaware River.

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network, the National Wildlife Federation, the New Jersey Environmental Federation, Clean Water Action and the Delaware Nature Society claim in the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Trenton, that the Army Corps’ decades-old plan to deepen the channel from 40 feet to 45 feet violates seven federal environmental laws.

The groups claim Army Corps has no up-to-date environmental impact statements.

Today’s lawsuit comes on the heels of similar suits filed earlier this month by New Jersey and Delaware.

-snip-

The Delaware River project involves deepening nearly 103 miles of man-made conduit linking Philadelphia to the Delaware Bay. Pennsylvania officials back the project, contending it will create jobs and ensure the future of the region’s shipping industry.

But the environmental groups, as well as New Jersey and Delaware officials, say Army Corps has failed to fully address concerns about the impact the dreding will have on wildlife and the recreational and commercial fishing industries, They also say they are concerned the project will allow sea-water to infiltrate drinking water supplies in South Jersey and Philadelphia.

In addition, the groups argue the dredging will stir up dormant toxins in the river that will will leach from the material the corps plans to dump on seven sites in New Jersey and one site in Delaware.
-snip-
---------------------------------


anything the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a hand in or will have a hand in should be looked at with extreme caution!!

I agree that the toxic shit on the bottom of the river should not be stirred up or dug up and dumped some place else that it will pollute.