"The shared waters of New Jersey and New York's harbors, long battered by industry and neglect, have 'advanced considerably' over the last five years, according to a report released Monday.

The New York-New Jersey harbor has seen more than $1 billion in federal, state and local investment in improving the region's waterways since 2009, the report says, but does lag in key areas, including the removal of harmful contaminated sediment and the restoration of natural resources like oyster beds.

'It's a good news report card,' said Robert Pirani, director of the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, which released the report."

S.P. Sullivan reports for the Newark Star-Ledger February 10, 2015. [2]