Now that Rick Santorum isn’t lobbing bombs on this matter from Washington or his home in Virginia, I’m sure this deal is possible.

Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell and New Jersey Gov. Corzine are expected to finalize a deal on the deepening of the Delaware River shipping channel as early as next week.

It could not be determined yesterday exactly what the final agreement would entail. But officials have been discussing shifting management of the project – which involves dredging the channel from 40 to 45 feet to allow passage of larger container ships – from the bistate Delaware River Port Authority to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority in Pennsylvania. That would make Pennsylvania fully responsible for funding the project and answering environmental and other concerns expressed by New Jersey officials.

But such a deal would still not sit well with some dredging critics on the New Jersey side. A group of environmentalists said yesterday that it would represent, on Corzine’s part, an “abdication of authority and responsibility” to protect the Delaware.