The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility cost-sharing agreement with Delran was signed in June by former Mayor Gary Catrambone and Commander Jeffrey Beeman, of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District.
The news of a temporary freeze on federal funding threw the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of the erosion along the Rancocas Creek in limbo last week.
President Donald Trump’s administration – through Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget – issued a memo on Jan. 27 to temporarily pause federal agency grant, loan and other financial assistance programs while agencies conduct a review to align programs with Trump policy.
“This temporary pause will provide the administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the president’s priorities,” Vaeth wrote.
Vaeth’s missive caused much backlash from advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers, including Congressman Andy Kim, who joined Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and senators Patty Murray of Washington Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
At a press conference, they described the administration’s “chaotic” actions as “waging war against the American people.”
A federal judge blocked the temporary freeze on Tuesday, Jan. 28, the day it was to go into effect, according to news reports. The following day, the Trump administration rescinded the memo.
A post on the Delran website had stated that the Army Corps project was suspended because of the Trump order. As of deadline, it’s still not clear if that is the case.
“We will inform you when there is a change in status,” the post stated.
What happened in council chambers on June 24 was 12 years in the making.
Former Mayor Gary Catrambone – alongside U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District Commander Lt. Col. Jeffrey Beeman – signed a feasibility cost-sharing agreement to initiate a study – under Section 14 of the district’s Continuing Authorities Program – to investigate shoreline erosion problems and opportunities.
Critical infrastructure is currently vulnerable to erosion in the study area, located along the Rancocas Creek approximately 0.25 miles from the confluence of the Delaware River along River Drive, directly parallel to Hawk Island. Erosion from the creek threatens to undermine the township’s sewer plant and stormwater infrastructure along River Drive, officials said.
The Rancocas Creek River Trail is also vulnerable. Burlington County has received and invested more than $19.3 million in grants toward trail projects, including the first 4-mile segment of the Rancocas Creek Greenway Trail between Amico Island Park in Delran and Pennington Park in Delanco. The first segment of the Rancocas Creek Greenway was completed in 2022.
The study area includes the sewer plant and River Drive.
“To have finally signed a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers,” Catrambone said at the time, “is a major step in the right direction for Delran.”
