DEP ACTING COMMISSIONER MARTIN OUTRAGED BY ARMY CORPS' TREATMENT OF SOUTH JERSEY IN DELAWARE DEEPENING

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Feb. 19, 2010

Contact: Elaine Makatura (609) 292-2994
Lawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795


GOVERNOR CHRISTIE, DEP ACTING COMMISSIONER MARTIN OUTRAGED BY ARMY CORPS' TREATMENT OF SOUTH JERSEY IN DELAWARE DEEPENING

Note: The two paragraphs that are copied here appear near the end of this press release. "Millions of tons of sediments", does not sound good for spring shad runs.

The Army Corps has not updated a number of environmental studies for the
Delaware deepening project since 1997, including evaluations of the effects
of the project on the region's wetlands, water supplies and wildlife. The
Army Corps also failed to address the potential impacts of a massive oil
spill in 2004 on the river sediments.

The Army Corps has proposed deepening the Delaware's 40-foot shipping
channel to 45 feet from Camden to the mouth of Delaware Bay, a distance of
more than 100 miles. The project will produce millions of tons of sediments
that will need disposal.

(10/P8) TRENTON * Governor Chris Christie and Department of Environmental
Protection Acting Commissioner Bob Martin today expressed outrage over the
Army Corps of Engineers' plans to start the deepening of the Delaware
River's main shipping channel without updating sediment studies, providing
alternatives to disposing dredged sediments in South Jersey or implementing
measures to prevent dredging equipment from polluting the air.

"It is irresponsible for the Army Corps to push this dredging project
forward when we know South Jersey will suffer the consequences," Governor
Christie said. "The Army Corps is using a double standard, applying tough
criteria to protect the environment during the project to deepen the New
York-New Jersey Harbor yet failing to provide the same protections to South
Jersey's environment during the proposed deepening of the Delaware."

Army Corps studies for the Delaware River deepening project are more than a
dozen years old, yet more recent monitoring of Army Corps disposal
facilities indicates elevated levels of contaminants in effluent. In
addition, the Army Corps has failed to provide alternatives to dumping most
of the dredged sediments in South Jersey.

"The Army Corps is using poor and obsolete data to make big decisions that
affect New Jersey," Commissioner Martin said. "We have very deep concerns
about the old scientific data the Army Corps has been using to push this
project ahead. We demand a fresh look using current data and testing
methods, and then we'll see if this project is as ecologically benign as the
Army Corps purports it to be."

In the project to deepen the New York-New Jersey Harbor, the Army Corps
updated scientific data and applied project-specific testing protocols. It
also worked with the project sponsor to improve air quality. The sponsor
purchased low-pollution engines for tugboats and ferries.

For the Delaware River project, the Army Corps wants to purchase air credits
from other polluters to offset smog-causing pollutants emitted by its boats
and equipment. The Army Corps refuses to discuss options to credits or
update its air-pollution analysis.

"We want real steps to protect the health of people who live and work along
the river," Commissioner Martin said. "We don't want paper credits that
don't actually eliminate any pollution."

The Army Corps has not updated a number of environmental studies for the
Delaware deepening project since 1997, including evaluations of the effects
of the project on the region's wetlands, water supplies and wildlife. The
Army Corps also failed to address the potential impacts of a massive oil
spill in 2004 on the river sediments.

The Army Corps has proposed deepening the Delaware's 40-foot shipping
channel to 45 feet from Camden to the mouth of Delaware Bay, a distance of
more than 100 miles. The project will produce millions of tons of sediments
that will need disposal.

Most of the dredged sediments will be dumped at federal disposal sites in
New Jersey. The DEP wants a sediment sampling program for the Delaware River
similar to one the Army Corps used for the New York Harbor deepening
project.

New Jersey is pursuing legal action in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey
challenging the Army Corps' decision to move ahead with the project and
intervened in an action filed by the state of Delaware.

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