U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) said on Thursday that completion of a harbor-deepening project at the Port of New York and New Jersey would impact every family and business on the east coast.
Frelinghuysen, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the former chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Water Development, has secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars for the project since its authorization in 1997.
“This port is the economic engine for northern New Jersey,” Frelinghuysen said. “Ninety percent of global trade moves by ship, so I have made it one of my highest priorities in Congress to ensure the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest port on the east coast, remains the most attractive destination for international trading partners. This project has already provided direct benefits over 200,000 people employed along the piers, docks and terminals and thousands more working in New Jersey companies that depend up on the cargo of these vessels. At the same time, the port generates billions of dollars in annual tax revenues to state and local governments.”
Through the project, the port was dredged from a depth of 40 feet to 50 feet so that it can accommodate the latest container ships sailing along the east coast.
“This project is a proud example of how government and industry can work together to enhance our economy,” Frelinghuysen said. “This vital project was supported by federal, state and local governments and the private sector. I commend the remarkable collaboration among the Port Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, shippers, terminal operators, unions and environmental organizations for their vision and leadership in bringing this project to completion.”