If that group can find economic justification for spending hundreds of millions of public dollars to dredge the Delaware, so be it. If not, Congress shouldn't fund the plan. With the support of area oil refineries, the plan was suspect at best. Now that only one of the five refineries has said definitely it will make use of the deeper channel, there's no way this project makes sense. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Delaware River Port Authority are on the verge of signing off on the project, which will lower the 106-mile shipping channel from 40 to 45 feet.
Supporters say the move is essential to protect local jobs and keep the port viable.
They believe the refineries eventually will deepen their own docking berths to make use of the deeper channel. They insist a deeper channel is essential to the region's economy. Of primary concern are the refineries, which are considered primary beneficiaries of the dredging project. A deeper channel would allow bigger ships to travel the Delaware without first off-loading oil onto barges. But first, the refineries must agree to take advantage of the lower channel.