THE NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY HARBOR: ACHIEVING THE VISION OF A WORLD CLASS HARBOR ESTUARY

摘要

Work is underway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey on a $2.2 billion project to deepen the channels in the Port of New York and New Jersey to depths to 15.2 meters (50 feet) below mean low water. The deepened channels will accommodate the new fleet of post Panamax container ships, and will result in significant transportation cost savings. The project Benefit to Cost ratio is greater than 3 to 1. As the largest Port on the East Coast of the United States, the Port of New York and New Jersey is a key economic engine and contributes more than 230,000 jobs, $10 billion in wages and $22 billion in sales to the regional economy. The project presents some significant dredging, navigation, and logistical challenges, with multiple dredging contracts needing to co-exist with a very active and busy port. The channel bottom is also highly variable and includes significant amounts of hard bedrock that requires drilling and blasting, as well as softer rock, glacial tills and hard clays that can be dug with large excavators. There are also contaminated sediments that have strict environmental compliance and treatment requirements. A key component of the project has been the development of a common vision of a "World Class Harbor Estuary" among the various port interest groups and stakeholders. In addition to the channel improvements, this vision includes a commitment by the Port interests to utilize sound environmental planning and to develop a Comprehensive Port Improvement Plan that looks at the potential infrastructure needs through the year 2030 with the deepening project in place. The vision also includes the commitment to beneficially utilize all of the materials dredged, and to actively promote habitat restoration and enhancement throughout the Harbor Estuary. The challenge is to develop consensus among the many stakeholders during times of tight budgets and constrained funding.