ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 140

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 3, 1997

By Assemblymen CORODEMUS, BAGGER, Augustine, T. Smith, Azzolina and Gusciora

An Assembly Resolution expressing strong and unqualified support for the application submitted by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to the United States Army Corps of Engineers to construct and operate, in Newark Bay in the City of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, a subaqueous confined disposal facility for dredged materials.

Whereas, The sand, silt and mud, which naturally accumulate in the navigation channels and ship berths in the port area of northern New Jersey and New York City, must be dredged on a regular basis to ensure the continued economic viability of the shipping and trade industry, which creates more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, provides more than $20 billion in regional economic benefits, and generates salaries and wages in excess of $5 billion; and while the economic importance of dredging is significant, dredged material is often contaminated with harmful and dangerous substances that must be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner; and

Whereas, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has applied to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for authorization to construct and operate a subaqueous confined facility for the disposal of contaminated material dredged from the northern New Jersey - New York City port area contiguous to the State of New Jersey, including but not limited to Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, and the Kill Van Kull, and which material has been deemed unsuitable for ocean disposal; and

Whereas, The original project application submitted by the Port Authority, which was made upon the recommendation of Governor Christine Todd Whitman's Dredged Materials Management Team, proposed construction of two subaqueous pits occupying a total area of 160 acres with a combined capacity of 14.5 million cubic yards if dredged to a depth of 70 feet; but, on the basis of historical data, chemical analyses, and bioassay testing, the proposed project has been revised since to consist of three smaller pit areas occupying a total area of 55 acres with a combined capacity of 3.1 million cubic yards if dredged to the same depth; and

Whereas, Approval of the subaqueous confined dredged materials disposal facility is critically important because the project is one of the major environmentally safe and economically viable short-term options available to the Port Authority to dispose of the contaminated material that must be dredged immediately to keep vital shipping channels in the northern New Jersey - New York City port area open to vessels of all sizes; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. This House expresses its strong and unqualified support for the application submitted by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to the United States Army Corps of Engineers to construct and operate, in Newark Bay in the City of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, a subaqueous confined disposal facility for dredged materials.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the United States Department of the Army, the Commander and Chief of Engineers of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Commander and District Engineer of the New York District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Chairman of Governor Whitman's Dredged Materials Management Team, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Commerce and Economic Development, and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

STATEMENT

    This resolution would express the General Assembly's strong and unqualified support for the application submitted by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to the United States Army Corps of Engineers to construct and operate, in Newark Bay in the City of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, a subaqueous confined disposal facility for dredged materials.

    Approval of the subaqueous confined dredged materials disposal facility is critically important because the project is one of the major environmentally safe and economically viable short-term options available to the Port Authority to dispose of the contaminated material that must be dredged immediately to keep vital shipping channels in the northern New Jersey - New York City port area open to vessels of all sizes.

Expresses support for subaqueous confined disposal facility for dredged materials in Newark Bay.