Georgian urges new South Carolina port. Representative's remarks miff some state officials.
Last summer part of my stump speech concerned Georgia ports meaning $35 billion to our state's economy and thousands of jobs.
I also would note that Savannah was succeeding in taking Asian business from the west coast, and that Brunswick was importing millions of cars a year. For this reason, I would note that I hoped the General Assembly would consider plans for a major port expansions, and that I would work for federal assistance and funding.
This interest was hardly unique. Feeling otherwise would be like being against motherhood and apple pie.
The following is given as background for excerpts of the following article that appeared in Saturday's AJC:
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), whose district includes the port at Savannah, says South Carolina should develop a new port on land owned by Georgia across the Savannah River.
His remarks in a recent interview surprised and miffed some Georgia officials who consider the property in Jasper County, S.C., as a possible site for a future Georgia port.
The port at Savannah is a revenue- and job-creating engine and pumps millions of dollars annually into Georgia's economy. But Kingston, aware of the huge growth expected in oceangoing trade, said the proposed container terminal wouldn't unduly eat into future Georgia profits.
"If the name of the game is job creation, it would be a good thing," he said. "It would be a little competition for the Georgia Ports Authority, but they're up to it. I don't see the downside."
Eric Johnson, Georgia's Senate president pro tem and another Savannah Republican, does.
"It wouldn't make sense to put a lot of container facilities over there, for example, because it would compete with Savannah," said Johnson. "Our responsibility, as Georgia policymakers, is to protect taxpayers' investment."
For more than a decade, Jasper officials have dreamed of a container port just 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean --- five miles closer than Savannah's Garden City Terminal.
East Coast container traffic is expected to continue skyrocketing over the next decade.
The Garden City Terminal is undergoing a $110 million expansion. Charleston wants to pump a half-billion dollars into expansion at its old Naval Base. Once completed, ports officials say, they'll be big enough to handle the next decade's growth.
Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) attached language to legislation requesting the feds find the money to conduct a Jasper port feasibility study.
If Jasper is built, port watchers predict, container ships won't trek the extra five miles upriver to the Garden City terminal.
I also would note that Savannah was succeeding in taking Asian business from the west coast, and that Brunswick was importing millions of cars a year. For this reason, I would note that I hoped the General Assembly would consider plans for a major port expansions, and that I would work for federal assistance and funding.
This interest was hardly unique. Feeling otherwise would be like being against motherhood and apple pie.
The following is given as background for excerpts of the following article that appeared in Saturday's AJC:
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), whose district includes the port at Savannah, says South Carolina should develop a new port on land owned by Georgia across the Savannah River.
His remarks in a recent interview surprised and miffed some Georgia officials who consider the property in Jasper County, S.C., as a possible site for a future Georgia port.
The port at Savannah is a revenue- and job-creating engine and pumps millions of dollars annually into Georgia's economy. But Kingston, aware of the huge growth expected in oceangoing trade, said the proposed container terminal wouldn't unduly eat into future Georgia profits.
"If the name of the game is job creation, it would be a good thing," he said. "It would be a little competition for the Georgia Ports Authority, but they're up to it. I don't see the downside."
Eric Johnson, Georgia's Senate president pro tem and another Savannah Republican, does.
"It wouldn't make sense to put a lot of container facilities over there, for example, because it would compete with Savannah," said Johnson. "Our responsibility, as Georgia policymakers, is to protect taxpayers' investment."
For more than a decade, Jasper officials have dreamed of a container port just 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean --- five miles closer than Savannah's Garden City Terminal.
East Coast container traffic is expected to continue skyrocketing over the next decade.
The Garden City Terminal is undergoing a $110 million expansion. Charleston wants to pump a half-billion dollars into expansion at its old Naval Base. Once completed, ports officials say, they'll be big enough to handle the next decade's growth.
Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) attached language to legislation requesting the feds find the money to conduct a Jasper port feasibility study.
If Jasper is built, port watchers predict, container ships won't trek the extra five miles upriver to the Garden City terminal.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 11:23 AM
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