An article in the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding a controversial Delaware River dredging project to be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia district office and the planned dumping of sediments from the dredging earlier this week created both confusion and concern (http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/66284137.html).
 
The article stated the sediment dredged will be dumped in two locations in Pennsylvania. One of the sites is an abandoned mine shaft in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The article went on to state some of the dredged sediment will be sent to and dumped at "Fort Mifflin".

It was the latter location that raised some eyebrows, particularly among those dedicated individuals who tirelessly volunteer their time to save the Fort Mifflin Historical Site.

As word of the Inquirer article made the rounds on the Intnernet, HRPS got to read the article and we were as appalled as anyone else was. We were determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

First thing this morning I began calling Pennsylvania Senators Arlen Specter (D) and Bob Casey, Jr. (D). Additionally, I telephoned the Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's office. I left messages for the Senators with staffers and left a message for Governor Rendell with a Deputy Press Secretary.

Late this morning the first call was returned by Daniel Fee, the Head Consultant for the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA), the dredging project's lead local sponsor.

Mr. Fee was instructed to telephone HRPS by the Governor's office to explain the dredging project and the sediment dump sites. Mr. Fee informed me that the 'Fort Mifflin' in the Inquirer article is not the Fort Mifflin Historical Site. Mr. Fee went on to say no sediment dumping, or any other kind of dumping will take place at the Fort Mifflin Historical Site. The 'Fort Mifflin' in the article is a Federal property that shares both the same name and zip code as the Fort Mifflin Historical Site.

Finally, Mr. Fee promised to send an aerial photo (BELOW) of the dump site(s).



Then around 2p.m. this afternoon I received a telephone call from Alex Halper, a Legislative Assistant in Senator Specter's Washington, DC office.

Mr. Harper asked if I had heard from anyone from the PRPA, and I replied I had. He then asked if I would like any more information to which I replied I would like a copy of all pertinent documents concering and related to the dredging project, including plans, forms and maps. He said he would email me the appropriate contact information, and by 3:30 p.m. he did.

Mr. Harper emailed me the telephone number for the public affairs office of the Army Corps of Engineers' Philadelphia distrcit office. I will be phoning them tomorrow and update you accordingly.

In closing, the Fort Mifflin Historical Site is safe from the dumping of dredge sediment. However, Fort Mifflin, "The Fort That Saved America", still needs your help and support.

Please take a moment to go to the following websites to learn more about Fort Mifflin and to learn what you can do to help. You'll also find on the following sites a  list of events coming up at Fort Mifflin.
www.myspace.com/savefortmifflin (ADD THEM TO YOUR FRIENDS!)
www.fortmifflin.us
www.savefortmifflin.org
www.fortmifflin.com

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