June 21, 2010
Vol. 40, No. 214

Contact:  Melinda Carl, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902 

DNREC sets public hearing for Army Corps’ Main Channel application 

DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a public hearing on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 13 and 14 at 6 p.m. each evening to receive comments from the public and interested parties concerning the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ application for a wetlands permit, a subaqueous lands permit and a 401 water quality certification for the state of Delaware’s portion of the Delaware River Main Stem and Channel Deepening Project.

The hearing for the application filed with DNREC March 22, 2010 will be held in the Longwood Room 113 auditorium in the Bank of America Building at Delaware State University, College Road, Dover. The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is the local sponsor for the project.

The Army Corps, Philadelphia District, proposes to deepen the Delaware River Federal Navigation Channel from its existing depth of 40 feet to 45 feet and widen 12 of the 16 existing channel bends between the mouth of the Delaware Bay and the ports of Philadelphia, Pa. and Camden, N.J.  

The Corps also proposes to place dredged material from the Delaware portion of the project at Kelly Island in Kent County, Del. for erosion control and habitat restoration, and along Broadkill Beach in Sussex County, Del. as beach nourishment. The remaining material would be disposed of at the Reedy Point South confined disposal facility south of Delaware City, Del. and in the confined disposal facilities at Artificial Island, Oldmans and Pedricktown North and South in New Jersey. Rock removed by blasting near the Delaware/Pennsylvania state line will be disposed of at Fort Mifflin, Pa. and/or utilized at artificial reef sites in Delaware waters.   

Following a review of the application, DNREC requested additional information from the Army Corps and anticipates receiving the remaining information before the date of the hearing. A formal legal notice of the hearing was published Sunday, June 20 to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to hold a thorough scientific review of the deepening project and to process the application in an efficient, timely and transparent manner.

The application and supporting documents are available for public review at DNREC’s offices at 89 Kings Highway, Dover. To schedule an appointment to inspect the application, please call 302-739-9943. The application is also available online on DNREC’s website at:
http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/US_Army_Corps_of_Engineers_2010_Dredging_Application.aspx

If the record is left open after the hearing concludes, any additional information submitted by the Army Corps will be posted to this website for public review.

Statements and testimony may be presented at the public hearing either orally or in written form. Written statements may be presented prior to the hearing and should be addressed to: Public Hearing Officer, DNREC Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Section, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.