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November 21, 2005 9:45 AM, EST

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he federal government has pledged more than $3 million to deepen a channel that would help a planned container terminal in Texas City, Texas, the Galveston County (Texas) Daily News reported.

he $3.15 million set aside to study deepening the channel passed last week as part of the federal energy and water development appropriations bill, the paper reported.

The study would look at the environmental impact of deepening the nearly 7-mile channel to 45 feet from 40 feet, the Daily News said.

City officials and SSA Marine officials said the deepening of the channel was vital in assuring the port would be competitive, the paper reported.

One SSA official — the company is in charge of building the new port facility — said the bill’s passage is in line with SSA’s timetable to begin loading and offloading ships by August 2008, the paper said.