The recent decision of the S.C. Infrastructure Bank to fund a site study for an Inland Port to relieve current conditions and accommodate future growth at the Charleston Port is great news.  This is the kind of development I had in mind when I successfully sought the Congress’ approval of $9.5 million for infrastructure improvements at the intersection of I-95 and I-26.

The Charleston port is the second largest container port on the East Coast, the forth busiest in the country.  I have been arguing for some time now that an inland port is the best way to meet the needs of all South Carolina ports and at the same time address the concerns of personal safety, economic security, and environmental stability.  These concerns have become more crucial since the terrorist attacks of September 11^th. 

Safety has always been a concern when considering the movement of goods to and from the Charleston port.  At the time I-526 was being constructed, there was considerable debate about the number of trucks sharing that route with school buses and commuters especially during the heavy fog that often rises off the water and the danger it can present.  As discussions continue about port expansion, the issue of increased truck traffic has again become a major safety concern for those living in the vicinity of the Charleston Port.  An inland port, if sited properly, would significantly decrease the truck traffic to and from the Charleston facility. 

The issue of security is also very important to our port facilities.  It is an issue that Senator Fritz Hollings has championed for a long time and recent events have brought it to the front burner.  Immediately after the September 11^th  attach, the U.S Coast Guard, which oversees the waterways took immediate steps to shut down the Cooper River to all vessels that did not have permission of the Captain of the Port. This was a good and proper response, but for the future more permanent and preventive security measures need to be in place.  And I believe that dispersing the functions and structures of the Charleston Port would be a significant step in the right direction. 

            An inland port will also provide some sorely needed stability in a variety of venues.  It will stabilize various communities in Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties by providing much needed jobs throughout a region that still lags behind the rest of the state in many quality of life indices. It will provide a resolution which environmentalist; economic developers and community activists can all find common ground.  It will be complemented by existing surface, air and railway transportation.  An inland port along the I-95 corridor near I-26 would have access to two railway spurs and five additional U.S highways.  In addition, the St. George Airport, which I am working to upgrade, would be only minutes away. 

            The debates over port expansion as well as many other infrastructure pursuits have taken on a new context.   Everything in our country changed on September 11^th when terrorists struck on American soil.   Safety, security and stability are now, and will remain for a long time, at the forefront of most Americans thoughts and actions.   An inland port will not only meet the need for port expansion, but also address those safety and security concerns that have been heightened since September 11^th.  An inland port is no longer just a viable option, it is now a necessary one.

#   #   #