1980s Federal UDAGProgram: Did It Help Gloucester City?
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews
The Urban Development Action Grant program was introduced to Gloucester City residents in 1984. People living near the marine terminal at the time were against the idea from the very start. Several public meetings hosted by the mayor and council were held beginning in 1984. At those meetings, residents spoke about why they were against the expansion of that facility. At the time the Holt Family was just beginning to build their monstrous facility.
Gloucester City News article written by William E. Cleary Sr., published October 10, 1985
That program was promoted in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. The purpose was to help distressed cities attract private investment, create jobs, and redevelop blighted industrial or commercial areas. UDAGs were awarded competitively and required substantial private‑sector participation. HUD’s regulations describe the program’s core mission as assisting cities facing severe economic distress by stimulating economic activity needed for recovery.
Since 1993, Holt has been leasing this land under the Walt Whitman Bridge for a $1 a year. The marine terminal was fined $30,000 for illegally dumping the fill into the Newton Creek, which flows into the Delaware River.
(Gloucester City News archives; photographer Tom Casey, February 5, 1981)
The Gloucester City News 1981 archive photos revealed the fill dirt and concrete used by Tom Holt Sr.,to fill in the Newton Creek swampland under the Walt Whitman Bridge near Collings Road. He was asked by this reporter why he didn’t wait for approval. “Paying the fines was cheaper than waiting for permits that may take months to obtain legally.
Holt was fined $30,000 by federal and state agencies for violating the law. Besides the fines, the court stipulated that he would have to build a park at his marine terminal for the public to view the Delaware River. Within the last couple of months, that park across from Freedom Pier was demolished and replaced with a stack of containers. It is not known if the Holt Family was permitted to remove that park.
The 1981 Case: Holt Fills Protected Wetlands Without a Permit
GLOUCESTER CITY NJ (AUGUST 6, 2026)–In early 1981, federal regulators charged Holt Hauling and Warehousing Systems with illegally filling in federally protected wetlands along Newton Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River. The company had expanded its storage yard by dumping dirt and construction material into tidal wetlands without obtaining the required permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The federal complaint made clear that Holt’s actions violated both the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act. A consent order filed in U.S. District Court required Holt to pay a civil penalty and restore portions of the damaged wetlands. The case was one of the earliest examples of federal environmental enforcement on Gloucester City’s industrial waterfront.
The reporting by the Gloucester City News editor and publisher at the time captured the scale of Holt’s ambitions. At the same time portions of Newton Creek were being filled in two massive container cranes—purchased in Germany—were floated across the Atlantic on barges and escorted up the Delaware River by the U.S. Coast Guard. As those barges passed under the Delaware Memorial Bridge, we were aboard a Coast Guard vessel documenting the arrival. It was a dramatic moment that symbolized Holt’s rapid expansion, much of it built on land created by backfilling marsh and riverbank.
The Same Land, Four Decades Later: A New Legal Fight
(Gloucester City News archives; photographer Tom Casey, December 17, 1981)
The wetlands Holt filled in 1981 are not just a historical footnote. They are the same tract of land at the center of a major dispute today between Holt Logistics and the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA).
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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PUBLIC PARK THAT HOLT WAS MANDATED TO BUILD?
CNBNews photo–The arrow points to the location of a small public park that Thomas Holt was ordered to build as part of a court order levy against the shipping tycoon in 1982 for illegally filling in the Newton Creek swampland under the Walt Whitman Bridge near Collings Road. It is not known if the Holt family violated that1982 court order by removing it to make room to store more containers. byoder Holt.The cothe
Since 1993, Holt has leased the land beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge for $1 per year—a symbolic arrangement created during a different era of port operations. But the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) recently forced a settlement with DRPA after determining that the lease was not in the public’s financial interest.
OSC’s involvement triggered a renegotiation of the lease, and Holt is now fighting efforts to raise the rent to market value.
Holt argues that:
The land was created by their own backfilling, not by the DRPA.
The property is inaccessible without crossing Holt’s surrounding private land.
Therefore, the DRPA should not charge market‑rate rent for land Holt claims it effectively built and maintained.
The DRPA and OSC counter that:
The land is public property.
The $1 lease has deprived taxpayers of fair revenue for decades.
Any future agreement must reflect the true value of the waterfront acreage.
This dispute has become one of the most consequential port‑related negotiations in South Jersey in years.
(Gloucester City News archives; photographer Tom Casey, November 4, 1982) —
Why the 1981 Case Matters Today
The connection between the 1981 wetlands violation and the current lease battle is direct and undeniable:
The land Holt filled illegally in 1981 is the same land they now claim to have “created” and therefore deserve to lease cheaply.
Holt’s long history of aggressive expansion—sometimes pushing past regulatory boundaries—helps explain why state oversight agencies are now scrutinizing the $1 lease.
The OSC’s intervention signals a shift: public agencies are no longer willing to accept decades‑old arrangements that favor private operators over taxpayers.
This recent photo taken at the foot of Monmouth Street shows cranes that are standing on land that was once covered by the Delaware River. Holt filled in the river in 1981.
The reporting by the Gloucester City News in the 1980s provides essential historical context. It shows that Holt’s relationship with the Gloucester City waterfront has always been complicated—marked by ambition, conflict, and a willingness to reshape the landscape to suit its operations. It also revealed that Holt wasn’t afraid of violating environmental rules if, in the end, he would benefit financially by doing so. When he ordered his employees to start filling in the swampland under the Walt Whitman Bridge before receiving the necessary permits, he said it was cheaper for him to pay the fines than sit around waiting for the approval of the permits needed to proceed with filling in the Delaware River.
On June 20, 1983 Thomas J. Holt, the president of the Holt Hauling and Warehousing System, promised Gloucester City Councilman Thomas Carter that his company would not expand its marine terminal any further than the foot of Monmouth Street. According to a AI search Holt Logistics began leasing the former U.S. Coast Guard station at Freedom Pier in 1988 following the base’s closure. The building was was located a block from Monmouth Street. Subsequently, the building was restored and renovated to serve as their corporate headquarters in the early 2000s.
THE POWER OF THE HOLT FAMILY
AUGUST 2026-The Holt family’s influence over regional port operations surfaced again this week. According to reporting in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Holt Logistics successfully blocked Hanwha — the Korean shipbuilder currently operating on a 110‑acre site in South Philadelphia — from expanding into the Paulsboro Marine Terminal. Hanwha officials said the Paulsboro site would have solved their space constraints and positioned the company to compete for major U.S. Navy contracts. With the deal halted, Hanwha is now shifting its search to southern states along the Atlantic Coast.
HANWHA PLANNED A $5 BILLION SOUTH JERSEY INVESTMENT
Hanwha has pledged to invest $5 billion in U.S. shipbuilding once it secures a suitable location. The Paulsboro facility, previously used for offshore wind‑mill construction, became available after President Trump canceled the federal wind program, prompting the tenant to vacate last December. Hanwha agreed to assume the lease — until Holt Logistics intervened.
Holt refused to approve the arrangement and filed suit to block it. After months of lobbying and legal maneuvering, Hanwha abandoned its Paulsboro plans and is now entertaining offers from southern states eager to attract a portion of the company’s multibillion‑dollar investment.
Paulsboro Mayor John Giovannitti estimates that fewer than 50 workers are present at the port on a typical day. The borough sublets the terminal to Holt, which paid $1.6 million last year to operate the facility. Leo Holt, whose century‑old company manages terminals in Gloucester City and South Philadelphia, said he is not entirely opposed to manufacturing at Paulsboro — but only under conditions acceptable to Holt Logistics.
New Jersey taxpayers have already invested heavily in the Paulsboro port, borrowing and spending more than $500 million to build the wharf, highway ramps, and supporting infrastructure intended to attract large employers. Hanwha’s departure underscores how much control Holt continues to wield over the future of that publicly financed facility.
Some parts of this article were writted with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies.
Local sports fans are finding new ways to turn an ordinary game day into a more connected community experience. Digital platforms have added another layer of convenience, giving supporters immediate access to scores, statistics, odds and developments across major matchups.
Anyone who follows sports in Gloucester City knows the familiar thrill of gathering on the bleachers to support a local team. The noise of the crowd, the conversations between plays and the shared anticipation all contribute to the city’s sporting culture. Today, you can carry part of that experience home or follow the action wherever you happen to be.
Surrounded by her loving family and in their care, Theresa A. Graham passed away peacefully at home on July 29, 2026, at the age of 84.
Born Theresa A. McQuaid, she was a lifelong resident of Gloucester City. Theresa was the beloved wife of 54 years to the late George “Mickey” D. Graham, Jr. She was the loving mother of Theresa Graham Hughes (Robert), Patricia Graham McCahill (Kevin), and Christine Graham King.
Theresa was the cherished “Mommom” of Christopher (Marisa), Daniel, and Patrick Hughes; Kevin (Caitlin), Matthew (Meghan), and Thomas McCahill; and Frank and Kimberly King.
She was predeceased by her siblings William McQuaid, Mary Pierman, Frank McQuaid, Marge Christy, and Rebecca Lang. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
A proud graduate of Gloucester Catholic High School, Class of 1962, Theresa dedicated much of her life to serving her community. She was a longtime member and past president of the Gloucester City Senior Citizens Association and also served as president of the Gloucester City Board of Education.
On July 25, 2026, Age 85, Of Gloucester City. Cherished Son of the late George W. Dickensheets, III and Grace Dickensheets (nee Albright). Survived by devoted and loving caregivers and friends.
Carleton was born in Woodbury and raised in Gloucester City. He attended the former Highland Park Grammar School in Gloucester City and was a proud 1958 graduate of Gloucester City High School. He was a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Carleton enjoyed traveling to England, Italy and Germany. He was a lifelong resident of Gloucester City and dedicated election poll worker in his beloved Gloucester City for many Election Days and Primary Days. Carleton was a former member of the First Presbyterian Church in Gloucester City and when the church closed, he transferred to Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church in Audubon. He assisted with counting the Sunday collection and sang in the choir for many years. Carleton took great pride in keeping his yard clean and was so proud to be from Gloucester City.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Carleton’s viewing on Friday, July 31, 2026 from 12 noon to 12:30 pm at McCann – Healey Funeral Home: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Pastor Keith Schmitt, Pastor of Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church will officiate services at 12:30 pm in the funeral home. Interment with his late parents will be in the family plot at Harleigh Cemetery, Camden.
Family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Carleton’s memory to Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church: 18 West Merchant Street, Audubon, NJ 08106. Please write in memo: Frank C. Dickensheets.
Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of Frank C. Dickensheets. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City, NJ. Ph: 856 – 456 – 1142
Anna Mae Dunfee (nee Quinn), age 96, a lifelong resident of Gloucester City, passed away peacefully at home on July 21, 2026, with her family by her side.
Born in Camden, New Jersey, Anna was the cherished daughter of the late James and Anna M. Quinn and predeceased by her six brothers and sisters.
Beloved wife of the late John Henry Dunfee, Jr. Anna is survived by her daughters and their families, Katherine Anna Quinn (Dean), Anna Marie Fennimore (Phil) and Marion Maria Deuel (Todd); grandchildren, Katherine Kocher, Brian G. Quinn, Jason M. Kephart, Christine M. Davis, Walter Davis and Michael Davis; great-grandchildren, Angelina Davis and Travis Davis.
At Anna’s request, services were held privately.
Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of Anna M. Dunfee. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City, NJ. Ph: 856-456-1142.
TRASH BLOCKS SIDEWALK—Why would those responsible for blocking the sidewalk with trash think that this was acceptable? A week ago, on Monday, Sweetie and I were walking on South Broadway towards Brooklawn. We tried to get past the blockade of trash in the photo, but it was impossible. We were left with no other choice but to risk our lives and walk onto nearby Broadway. Fortunately, traffic was light. One has to wonder about the people who piled the trash on the sidewalk that way. Surely they had to see that they were blocking the pathway for pedestrians. Unfortunately, as we travel through our City we have come upon more incidents of people who have no consideration for their neighbors. Their grass needs to be cut, their trash cans are placed in their front yard, and derelict cars with no license plates or registration stickers are parked on their property.
Photo courtesy of Gloucester City Historical Society.
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ–Following a heavy summer rainstorm, youngsters played in the contaminated water that overflowed from the sewers, flooding Market Street and nearby Broadway. Residents in that neighborhood told Cleary’s Notebook News that they saw feces floating on top of the water. The exact date of the photo is not known.
RAW SEWERAGE BACKS UP INTO HOMES IN CAMDEN AND GLOUCESTER CITIES-The Courier Post reported recently that it would cost over $400 million to fix the flooding in Camden City and Gloucester City. In the meantime, raw sewage will continue to back up into homes and flows down city streets. The untreated wastewater spills into watersheds and seeps into popular recreation spots like Cooper River, which is regularly used by rowing teams but is too dirty to swim in. In Gloucester City the raw sewerage can be seen flowing into the Delaware River even on sunny days.
A heavy rainstorm on July 6, 2026, dumped almost four inches of rain in an hour and caused Camden County’s sewer system to back up, causing floods and over 150 calls for emergency help, officials said.
Camden County says it now has a plan to fix the longstanding issue, but it’s going to take more than a decade to complete and a huge sum of money to pull off. The Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA), a government agency located in South Camden, is responsible for wastewater treatment and regional sewage management. Since the 1970s, Camden County residents have paid that agency millions of dollars to fix the sewerage problem and flooding. When it was first proposed, the CCMUA was going to build its wastewater treatment plant in Gloucester City, where the Holt Marine Terminal is today. READ MORE
BROOKLAWN, NJ (July 19, 2026)(CNBNews)— James “Jim” DiAmore, age 77, longtime pharmacist and friend to generations of residents, passed away on July 15, 2026, following a long illness. Jim was a unique personality — blunt, direct, and sometimes misunderstood by those who didn’t know him well. But beneath that gruff exterior was a man defined by generosity, loyalty, and quiet compassion.
A Life of Service to His Community
Jim devoted decades of service to the Brooklawn Fire Department, often driving the ambulance and responding to emergency calls late at night. He supported local police, youth sports teams, and was frequently the first to offer financial help to Brooklawn and Gloucester City residents who had fallen on hard times. He didn’t talk about the good he did; he simply did it.
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (July 18, 2026)(CNBNews)—Because Rodger Pierce, owner of 637 Division Street is not maintaining his property, there is a possibility that it will be up for foreclosure at the end of this year, on December 31. Pierce is a disabled veteran, and he pays no property taxes according to Gloucester City Tax Collector James V. Davis.
In June 2025, Pierce was charged $480 by the City for fees, fines, and services performed on the property. Since the debt is still outstanding, he is being charged 18 percent per annum by Gloucester City. Open and due balances are subject to Tax Sale. According to the tax office, properties placed in Tax Sale may lead to possible foreclosure.
