There's more progress on long-touted plans to deepen the channel at Broward County's seaport to host larger ships, boost business and create jobs.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has set aside $1.2 million this budget year to help fund the next phase of the dredging project, Port Everglades chief Steve Cernak announced Tuesday.

Nearly 20 years in the works, Port Everglades just earned approval from the Army Corps to dredge its channel to 48 feet deep to better compete for cargo. The authorization dragged out, largely because of concerns over how to mitigate envrionmental damage to nearby coral reefs.

On Tuesday, representatives of Congress, Florida's legislature, county and city govenrments, businesses and Port Everglades itself gathered for a news conference at the port to celebrate the approval achieved through what some called "a bipartisan, public-private partnership."

The next step for the dredging project: a detailed engineering and design plan, expected to cost $5.6 million and take 18 months to 24 months to complete, Cernak said.

Funding for that plan will come about 75 percent from federal funds and 25 percent from local funds. Broward may accelerate payments and then seek reimbursment from federal sources, Cernak said.

After that, the seaport will need roughly $380 million for the construction phase, expected to take three to four years. That funding is expected to come about 55 percent from federal and 45 percent from state and local sources. The state could advance some money and then seek federal reimbursement, he said.

Securing funds for the next phases will take more effort by the bipartisan group in Washington, Tallahassee and even South Florida.

"We're not there yet," U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman, D-Weston, told the news conference attended by more than 100 people. "We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Joked U.S. Rep Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach: "Whoever thought that digging a hole would be so difficult?"

Broward County Mayor Tim Ryan underscored the importance of keeping the seaport growing and competitive. He called Port Everglades "the economic powerhouse on the water here in Broward," producing a $28 billion economic impact yearly and $800 million in local and state taxes annually.

"We're talking about jobs, jobs, jobs, and that's what this is all about," said U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami Gardens.

Cernak said he intends to be "proactive and engaged" to push the dredging project forward.

Frankel welcomed that effort: "We still have to make the case. We still have a lot more work to do."