Synergy in Port Development and Environmental Protection within the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary

This paper confronts the stigma that a robust economy and self-sustaining environment cannot co-exist within an estuary that contains significant ecological resources, and operates major port facilities. Even before the tragic events of September 11^th, the steady growth of the global economy and the expansion of international trade were putting intense pressure on the collective performance of the Port of New York and New Jersey and surrounding transportation infrastructure. This in turn has placed a significant burden on surrounding ecosystems to assimilate the growth, and to sustain themselves from the standpoint of ecological integrity and natural diversity.