Petty Island
Petty Island (also Pettys Island;[1] or Petty's Island) is a 292-acre (1.18 km2)[2] island located in the Delaware River, which forms the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the United States. The island is situated between the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey and can be seen from both the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Betsy Ross Bridge. It is the fourth-largest island in the Delaware River's path. Petty Island is officially part of Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. In 2019, the State of New Jersey announced plans to buy the island, owned by Citgo, and make it a nature preserve.[3]
History
Petty Island was called "Shackamaxon Island" after the local
In 1971, the Philadelphia Bicentennial Planning Committee proposed using the island as a World's Fair style exposition site for the 1976 Bicentennial celebration. These plans were unsuccessful, however, and the park was never built. Petty Island is currently uninhabited, the last residential structure having burned down in 1964.[2] It is owned by Citgo, which formerly used the island for fuel storage.[2] Additionally, until 2018 Citgo leased portions of the island to Crowley Maritime, a shipping company.[2][7] Citgo also formerly leased to Koch Industries, an asphalt manufacturing business.[2] The western end of the island is undeveloped and forested.
In the early 2000s (decade), local politics in Pennsauken turned to Petty Island as a centerpiece for waterfront redevelopment, with residents and politicians hoping to install restaurants and a golf course on the island.[2] Environmental groups opposed these measures because of a pair of bald eagles living on the island.[8]
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced in April 2009 that the Venezuelan government (owner of Citgo) would donate the island to New Jersey for environmental preservation.[9][10] The New Jersey Natural Lands Trust has been granted a conservation easement for the entire island, with ownership to be transferred from Citgo to the Natural Lands Trust by 2022, when the cleanup of the island's former petroleum operations is complete.[11][7]
References
- Board on Geographic Names of the United States Geological Survey in 1891, the official name is Petty Island; see U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Petty Island
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Top N.J. Official Seeking Petty's Island Compromise. March 29, 2006. Archived copy of May 12, 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Island outside poor N.J. City could have had luxury homes. Now, it'll be a nature preserve". 22 April 2019.
- ^ Islands in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers Within the Boundaries of Philadelphia. Accessed June 12, 2008.
- ^ Philadelphia History: Petty's Island. Accessed June 12, 2008.
- ^ Pennsauken History Archived 2007-09-25 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed September 8, 2007.
- ^ a b Zoppo, Avalon. "Another cleanup at Petty's Island readies a natural gem for New Jersey ownership". Philly.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- Audubon Society. Accessed September 8, 2007.
- ^ Bolivarian Government donates Petty's Island to United States Archived 2009-04-26 at the Wayback Machine. Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, April 20, 2009.
- ^ Venezuela to give island to New Jersey. CNN, April 23, 2009.
- ^ New Jersey Natural Lands Trust Petty's Island Preserve. Accessed June 20, 2017.