Recently, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Control denied a permit to the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Savannah River in an effort to deepen the river channel to the Port of Savannah because they say the dredging would degrade water quality in the river.
While South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was initially hostile to the effort, the Savannah Morning News detects a new tone on the subject of deepening for the Port of Savannah:
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who last year told a gathering in Charleston that “Georgia has had its way with us for way too long,” is now talking with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal about a regional approach to harbor deepening.
Haley hosted Deal at a lunch at the Statehouse in Columbia last week, according to Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey.
“Georgia is our neighbor and, for that reason, Gov. Haley and Gov. Deal have a lot to talk about – including ports issues,” Godfrey said Thursday.
“Every port is different, and every port has its challenges,” Haley told Savannah’s WJCL/FOX 28.
“We have to say ‘What do we need to do that is right for the region?’ Our goal is to make sure every port (in the region) is successful.”
Governor Deal also was hopeful:
“Gov. Haley is a good friend, and we both agree that our state’s ports are an important source of economic development,” he said. “The ports in both Savannah and Charleston are well-positioned to grow exponentially.”
And here’s a familiar name to Republicans:
Alec Poitevint, chairman of the GPA board, said he was encouraged by Haley’s comments.
“At Georgia Ports, we stand ready to do everything we can to ensure the successful deepening of both the Savannah and Charleston ports and the joint development of a Jasper port.”
And here’s another thought: maybe Erick Erickson can help negotiate a deal to deepen the port. I’m told he’s friends with Governor Haley. And he’s kind of a big deal.
Given recent trade agreements with Columbia, South Korea, and Panama, expect port development to be a major issue for the state and federal governments.
Photo credit: Georgia Ports Authority
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This is welcome and surprising news. If history is our guide South Carolina will shoot themselves in both feet, get their neighbors caught in precipitous crossfire, and spend the next 150 years blaming everyone else for the provocation.
Hope is a good thing – as long as it’s not part of a political slogan.
22bons wins everything.
It’s is good to see Gov. Deal treating this like the priority that it is. I was a big critic of Gov. Deal’s campaign for governor, but this situation is where his strengths as a longtime politician familiar with negotiating compromises is a monumental strength.
I sincerely hope Gov. Deal and his team win this battle for the economic betterment of both states. I think he realizes that in terms of legacy, the deepening of the Savannah port is the single biggest ticket issue on his slate.
“South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who last year told a gathering in Charleston that “Georgia has had its way with us for way too long,”
Dang, I musta been outa town that day. I missed out on all the “having [our] way” fun with Nikki.
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