When Worlds Collide: Port Commerce and Superfund in Newark Bay, NJ
Scott Douglas, NJDOT
Office of Maritime Resources
 

Dredging and Dredged Material Management in the NY/NJ Harbor: when, where and why? W. Scott Douglas, Dredging Program Manager, NJ Dept. of Transportation, Office of Maritime Resources.

The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest cargo and petroleum port on the east coast of the U.S. and an integral component of the economic well-being of the entire metropolitan area. The maritime transportation system that supports the Port consists of over 250 miles of engineered waterways that require removal of 2-4 million cubic yards of sediments annually in order to maintain navigational safety. Management of that much sediment, or dredged material, would be a large task under any circumstances, but this Port is centered in the oldest, most heavily urbanized, industrial centers in North America. Historical mismanagement of wastes throughout the area have resulted in a legacy of contaminated sediments that extend throughout the Harbor, and unfortunately continue to ensure that the sediments removed to maintain the Port channels be handled in a way that protects human health and the environment. The State of NJ has taken the lead in innovative approaches to dredged material management including careful evaluation of sediment quality, maximum use of existing infrastructure to minimize the need to dredge, beneficial use whenever possible, and evaluation and reduction of the sources of sediment contamination. This effort continues to involve all levels of State government including policy, planning, remediation, regulatory, education/public outreach and scientific research.
 

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