Oral arguments before the Supreme Court are scheduled for Nov. 27 on a dispute dating from Colonial times that is blocking the siting of a liquefied natural-gas terminal. At issue in the case is New Jersey’s right to exercise regulatory jurisdiction over wharves and other improvements extending into the Delaware River.

Citing a border claim based on its original Colonial land grant, the state of Delaware in February 2005 denied permits for BP America Inc.’s proposal to construct a pier into the river for the $700-million Crown Landing LNG import terminal in Logan Township, N.J. New Jersey’s jurisdiction ends at the Delaware River’s low-water mark. In July 2005, New Jersey sued Delaware for the third time since 1877 over control of the river.