Pennsylvania Act 1947-257 — INCREASE COMMERCE ON THE DELAWARE RIVER

Act text

INCREASE COMMERCE ON THE DELAWARE RIVER
                 Act of Jun. 13, 1947, P.L. 598, No. 257              Cl. 36
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing and directing the Delaware River Joint Commission to
        undertake immediately an aggressive campaign to promote
        increased commerce on the Delaware River, both freight and
        passenger, as authorized by the compact with the State of New
        Jersey, under which said commission operates, and to
        undertake the formulation of a specific action program for
        the promotion of the navigable section of the Delaware River
        and bay extending from Trenton, New Jersey, and Morrisville,
        Pennsylvania, to the Atlantic Ocean, as a highway of
        commerce; the investigation of the necessity for additional
        means of communication between the Ports of Philadelphia and
        Camden and the sea, and to conduct an investigation for the
        purpose of formulating a specific plan and report relative to
        the need for, and advisability of, constructing additional
        tunnels or bridges across that section of the Delaware River
        extending from Trenton, New Jersey, and Morrisville,
        Pennsylvania, to the Delaware Bay, and making an
        appropriation.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  The Delaware River Joint Commission created under
     the authority of the act, approved the twelfth day of June, one
     thousand nine hundred thirty-one (Pamphlet Laws 575), entitled
     "An act providing for joint action by Pennsylvania and New
     Jersey in the development of the ports on the lower Delaware
     River, and the improvement of the facilities for transportation
     across the river; authorizing the Governor, for these purposes,
     to enter into an agreement with New Jersey; creating The
     Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and
     duties thereof, including the power to finance projects by the
     issuance of revenue bonds; transferring to the new commission
     all the powers of the Delaware River Bridge Joint Commission;
     and making an appropriation," and a similar act of the State of
     New Jersey, is hereby directed to exercise its function in
     effectuating the purpose of Article I, paragraph (g) of the
     compact authorized by the aforesaid act, which reads as follows:
     "(g) The promotion of increased commerce on the Delaware River,
     both freight and passenger, and, for this purpose, the
     publication of such literature and adoption of such means as may
     be deemed appropriate," and in addition thereto to formulate a
     specific action program for the following purposes:
        (a)  The promotion of the navigable section of the Delaware
     River and Bay extending from Trenton, New Jersey, and
     Morrisville, Pennsylvania to the Atlantic Ocean as a highway of
     commerce;
        (b)  The making of recommendations to the proper authorities
     for the improvement of terminal, lighterage, wharfage, warehouse
     and other facilities, necessary for the promotion of commerce on
     the Delaware River;
        (c)  The making of a report on any other factors which may be
     of mutual benefit to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the
     State of New Jersey insofar as concerns the promotion of the
     development of ports along the Delaware River, and the use by
     commercial vessels of their facilities;
        (d)  The investigation of the necessity for additional means
     of communication between the Ports of Philadelphia, and Camden,
     and the sea, and making of such studies, surveys and estimates,
     as may be necessary to determine the feasibility and cost of any
     such additional means of communication;
        (e)  The conducting of an investigation for the purpose of
     formulating a specific plan and report relative to the need for
     and advisability of constructing additional tunnels or bridges
     across that section of the Delaware River extending from
     Trenton, New Jersey and Morrisville, Pennsylvania to the
     Delaware Bay;
        (f)  The exercising of any or all other lawful functions
     delegated to the Commission by the compact under which it
     operates pertaining to the development of port and
     transportation facilities.
        Section 2.  The said Delaware River Joint Commission shall
     proceed without delay to study these problems in their entirety
     in cooperation with the Interstate Commission on the Delaware
     River Basin, also an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
     and the State of New Jersey, and of the States of New York and
     Delaware and shall submit a comprehensive report thereon to the
     Governor at the earliest practicable date, and in no case later
     than the first day of February, one thousand nine hundred forty-
     nine, as well as such interim reports, either upon individual
     items of the program or the program as a whole, as may be
     advisable and appropriate.
        Section 3.  For the purpose of carrying out the surveys
     provided for in this act, the sum of sixty-five thousand dollars
     ($65,000), is hereby appropriated to the Delaware River Joint
     Commission, which sum only shall become available and be used in
     the event of the unavailability of other funds of the
     Commission, and provided, the State of New Jersey has made a
     like appropriation to the Commission for the same purpose.
        Section 4.  It is the legislative intent of this act, that
     authorized programs shall be initiated at the earliest
     practicable time, and prosecuted with the utmost dispatch.
        Section 5.  The provisions of this act shall become effective
     immediately upon final enactment.