At the end of June, Sen. Michael Testa (R-1) proposed changing the name of the Delaware Bay to the Bay of New Jersey.
Testa, a supporter of President Donald Trump’s policies, and inspired by the president’s move to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America six months ago, introduced a 53-page bill for the name change in “all statutes and official references under New Jersey law.”
NJ.com reported that the new name would be referenced in all “publications, signage, websites, and materials to reflect the new designation and notify relevant federal entities.”
Testa, who represents all of Cape May County and parts of Cumberland and Atlantic counties, said his real goal is to highlight the state’s bayshore communities, which stretch from Cape May County up through Cumberland County and into Salem County.
“I look at the robust fishing industry – commercial fishing industry and recreational industry of the State of New Jersey,” Testa told NJ.com. “I think that the fact that we have to call the bay that we fish in the Delaware Bay – they’ve had a claim to that long enough.”
But Testa’s ambitions go beyond signage.
Alongside the renaming bill, he introduced a second one (S4671) that would revisit the longstanding border dispute between New Jersey and Delaware. That bill would push for a territorial agreement aimed at expanding New Jersey’s jurisdiction in the bay and possibly reclaiming land along Salem County’s shoreline.
For over a century, New Jersey and Delaware have butted heads over who controls certain parts of the bay. The Supreme Court has ruled on three major cases related to the matter – every one of them ending in Delaware’s favor.
Testa’s border proposal also revives questions over two small land areas claimed by Delaware, but physically connected to New Jersey in Salem County. One sits near Pennsville, while the other is an artificial island near the Salem Nuclear Power Plant.
Despite proximity to New Jersey, courts have long held that both belong to Delaware, based on a colonial-era agreement that extends Delaware’s borders in a 12-mile arc from New Castle, across to New Jersey’s shoreline.
Covering 782 square miles, the Delaware Bay touches three counties in each state and plays a major role in transportation, shipping, fishing and tourism. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry, managed by the Delaware River & Bay Authority, crosses its mouth daily, linking Cape Henlopen in Delaware with Cape May in New Jersey.
Historically, the bay has gone by several names. Indigenous Lenni Lenape people called it “Poutaxat,” meaning “near the falls.” Dutch colonists dubbed it “Niew Port May,” and later “Godins Bay.” But the name that stuck – Delaware Bay – comes from Thomas West, the third Baron De La Warr, a British noble who served as governor of Virginia in 1610, according to the Cape May County Herald.
Testa’s bill doesn’t address the Delaware River itself, which remains untouched by the legislation. Still, if passed, the name change would affect nearly every state document, map and sign – at the taxpayer’s expense.
Delaware officials haven’t commented on the proposal yet, but given the centuries-old rivalry and the potential costs and complications of the move, the conversation is just getting started.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
