REP. ANDREWS CALLS ON PENNSYLVANIA TO STOP WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON DREDGING PROJECT

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has canceled five consecutive monthly meetings for the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) in an effort to pressure New Jersey into accepting a wasteful Delaware River dredging project.  These tactics have cost the DRPA over $2.2 million in bank fees as they have been unable to ratify a budget.  I have asked Governor Rendell stop this senseless waste and withdraw his support for the dredging proposal.

Our port’s economy is growing at a record pace and there is no need to waste $300 million in taxpayer dollars to deepen the Delaware River five feet.  Both the Government Accountability Office ant the Office of Management and Budget have criticized the dredging plans because they would devastate the environment and not generate anywhere near sufficient revenue to justify the costs.  We need to invest in increased security and improved infrastructure rather than destroy our environment and deplete our bank accounts.

The good citizens of Pennsylvania and New Jersey deserve to have their hard earned taxes spent appropriately.  The only action more wasteful than dredging is throwing millions away in an effort to strong-arm New Jersey.  I will continue to fight any efforts to institute this dredging plan and ask Governor Rendell to stop squandering our States’ resources.  

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