President Obama Includes Delaware Deepening in 2013 Budget

Dennis Rochford president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay today applauded the news that President Obama included the Delaware River 45-foot Main Channel Deepening Project in his FY13 budget to be submitted to Congress today.

|!|Clearly the Administration recognizes the importance of this project to both regional and national economies as related to import and export trade|!| said Rochford.

|!|This project has been a true regional and bipartisan effort supported by our delegation to include Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) Patrick Toomey (R-PA) Tom Carper (D-DE) and Christopher Coons (D-DE) as well as Representatives Robert Brady (D-PA) Chaka Fattah (D-PA) Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) Patrick Meehan (R-PA) Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and John Carney (D-DE) as well as Governors Tom Corbett (R) of Pennsylvania and Jack Markell of Delaware (D). A broad and diverse segment of business leaders and labor are equally deserving of thanks for their support of this effort|!| stated Rochford.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of last week’s news that $16.9 million was included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY12 budget for deepening Delaware River’s main shipping channel from its present depth of 40 feet to 45 feet representing the most significant federal contribution to actual dredging work since the 102-mile channel deepening began.