Savannah River Deepening Challenged by Environmentalists
Monday, July 9, 2012 at 12:02AM
It isn’t making headlines outside of the US Southeast but the proposed deepening of the Savannah River to make it easier for commercial traffic to use the port of Savannah is drawing heated opposition from environmental groups.
Even as the South Carolina Senate formally promises to pay the federal portion of the deepening if Washington should decide not to write a check, the Southern Environmental Law Center is in court seeking to block the project on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation and other eco-groups.
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia.The center points to the US Army Corps of Engineers’ position that the deepening has nothing to do with expanding port business, which to the center means that deepening the river would only needlessly ruin the river ecosystem while also wasting money.
But with several Southeastern ports competing for business, local business and government support for deepening the Savannah River is strong. Only time will tell which side triumphs.
To learn more, read more at the Southern Environmental Law Center.
