By a unanimous vote, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s appointees to the Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) board granted the Georgia Ports Authority permission to deepen the waterway leading to the Port of Savannah – an unexpected and hugely controversial decision that opponents say could cost the Palmetto State hundreds of millions of dollars over the coming decade.
The board’s decision to allow Georgia’s deepening project to proceed reversed the agency’s prior decision – reached on September 30 – to deny the permits that Georgia was seeking.
In fact, a State Senator tells FITS that the agency may have been “pressured” into taking another look at the permit applications, presumably by Haley or members of her administration.
Why would a South Carolina governor pressure a state agency to forsake the best interests of its own citizens to benefit another state?
Glad you asked …
According to our sources, monied Georgia interests with connections to the Port of Savannah threw a big fundraiser for Haley in Atlanta last month. Also, our sources say that the chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority – a major GOP donor who will select speakers for next year’s Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida – has been negotiating with Haley and her political consultant to land the governor a coveted prime time speaking gig at the event.
Neither Haley nor Lerner returned messages seeking comment regarding those allegations. A spokesman for the Georgia Ports Authority was not immediately available for comment.
Regardless of the alleged political motivations, S.C. Sen. Larry Grooms (R- Berkeley County) said the DHEC decision would have disastrous consequences for South Carolina – both economically and environmentally.
“We will never be able to build a Jasper Ocean terminal, but they will be able to get larger ships to their port in Savannah,” an exasperated Grooms told FITS. “We get all the negative environmental impact, we lose jobs and Georgia gains jobs – and our agency is responsible!”
Grooms said he was particularly concerned about unproven environmental technology that Georgia seeks to employ as part of its dredging project.
“They are altering the Savannah River forever,” Grooms said.
Several other S.C. lawmakers – Democrats, “RINOs” and Republicans – expressed shock and revulsion at the decision.
“It was one thing when Georgia stabbed us in the back,” one Lowcountry Democrat said, referring to Georgia’s recent abandonment of a bi-state agreement for a Jasper Port. “It’s another thing to get stabbed in the back by your own governor, your own state agency.”
Haley’s decision to hand Georgia the keys to its port expansion project – at the expense of a deepwater port in Jasper County, S.C. – is a sudden and stunning reversal of her prior rhetoric.
Shortly after her 2010 election, Haley instigated a major spat with Georgia – sending a clear warning across the Savannah River regarding port-related issues.
“You now have a governor who does not like to lose,” Haley told a cheering crowd of S.C. State Ports Authority supporters in Charleston. “Georgia has had their way with us for way too long, and I don’t have the patience to let it happen anymore.”
Last month, though – right around the time that Georgia donors allegedly began stroking checks to her campaign – Haley’s tune began to change.
“Every port is different, and every port has its challenges,” Haley told Savannah’s WJCL/FOX 28 last month. “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.”
Wait … what? We thought Haley’s job was to promote South Carolina’s best interests – particularly in light of our state’s chronically-high unemployment rate, low income levels, deteriorating competitiveness and recessionary economy.
Grooms told FITS that lawmakers are already looking into allegations of foul play related to the DHEC decision. He also confirmed that an emergency meeting of the state’s Savannah River Maritime Commission was being scheduled for next week to review the DHEC decision.
“I was told that the DHEC staff was put under pressure to take another look at the project,” Grooms said. “I don’t know who put the pressure on them, but that’s something I think we should find out.”
DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick declined to address whether or not any pressure was applied on the agency.
“The (Georgia) Ports Authority and the (U.S. Army) Corps of Engineers offered some concessions that we were very comfortable with,” Myrick said. “They addressed our concerns. With those concerns out of the way, we feel confident in the project. We have assurances from them.”
FITS asked Myrick if Haley or representatives of her administration pressured DHEC regarding the permits at any point in the process – whether it was urging the agency to revisit the Georgia application or to ultimately approve it.
Myrick declined to answer that question and referred us to his prior statement.
Just to be clear we asked Myrick once more, “at any time did the governor, one of her appointees or a member of her administration apply pressure on DHEC either to revisit or approve these permits?”
Once again Myrick again declined to answer the question and referred us to his prior statement.
***
By Ralph Hightower November 10, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Oh goody! Is SC Guv’not Nikki Haley going to prove that she’s as ignorant as Lousiana governot Bobby Jindal when he was on national TV to address the nation after a “State of the Union” address?
By Billy Mulligan November 10, 2011 at 2:55 pm
The Corps of Engineers does not need approval from SC DHEC to issue their permits. They prefer to have it, but do not need it. Trikki Nikki sucks! I’m sure she thinks she sold out SC for cash but facts are the Corps does not need her to spread her stank around GA to change the mind of her rubber stamps at DHEC.
By keeping 'em honest November 10, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Are you sure its just Nikki that’s getting moolah off the deal?
Do any DHEC board members have business interests that will see the rewards by expanding their business in Georgia?
By Embarassed November 10, 2011 at 3:28 pm
I could not believe my eyes as the DHEC Board took the word of the Georgia Ports Authority on every lie and half truth they put out there. The SC Ports authority was no where to be found. Not sure why.
I have been watching the DHEC Board in all its iterations for 15 years and these current jokers are ridiculous. No expertise, ignoring the science, cracking jokes the whole time like they have no idea they are handling the economic future of the State.
Whores. Dirty dirty uninformed, idealogues who are trading the future of our State so they can feel important.
I was looking forward to Gov. Haleys term and thought the naysayers were just good old boys but she is the worst. I hope she is not tired of talking about sex, because she just allowed Georgia to f*ck the State of SC 6 ways from Sunday.
By Pimpin' For Nikki November 10, 2011 at 3:51 pm
This is what hundred dollar whores do.
Who is suprised?
Nikki saw a chance to make some money for herself, and so she changed the make up of the DHEC Board and told the new leadership know what she wanted. They ignored the recommendation of their staff and the science and their prior vote, and reversed course.
Cha-ching! Nikki cashes in, at the expense of SC jobs and the environment. But at least she did something for the money this time.
Another great day in SC! Oops, I mean, “the Region.”
And the legislature is upset? HAW HAW HAW. They won’t do a thing except squawk like chickens and then settle back down to important things like deer season and Miss Bar-B-Q.
By Waterfront commentator November 10, 2011 at 4:01 pm
“We will never be able to build a Jasper Ocean terminal, but they will be able to get larger ships to their port in Savannah,” an exasperated Grooms told FITS. “We get all the negative environmental impact, we lose jobs and Georgia gains jobs – and our agency is responsible!”
You got that right, Larry.
Now the fish, shrimp, minnows, oysters — the whole ecosystem — is getting politically screwed. When complete, there will be NO TIDAL MOTION in the upstream marshes.
No high tide, no low tide, just “stagnant” tide.
By jimlewis,owb November 10, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Yea, what you want.
Sure you got the Governor’s Office, sorry for that I was in the middle of my Happy Meal and was getting pissed cause I couldn’t find my toy.
That’s right we just sold out the Port of Charleston. No more big old damn rusting ships coming into Charleston to screw up the view and the boss gets to speak at a televised national convention. What a sweet deal.
Well just about anything is available. High paying state job, how about a seat on a Board or Commission. State Agency Head. Sure, but it would help if you are white, female and blonde. Bottle is OK.
No not really interested in any more tire plants, Amazon knock offs, air plane plants or drug companies. Our deals have been done and got to protect our interests.
Mining rights. What you got in mind.
You don’t say. Right under the Capitol building. Right under the Governor’s office.
C’mon man are you telling me that diamonds, thousands of diamonds, are under there.
C’mon man I never heard that years and years of crap being piled on top of years and years of crap could grow diamonds. Gee whiz, oh boy, wow.
As soon as I finish my Happy Meal and play with my toy I’ll find her. She is probably getting her botox shots or having her front teeth polished.
By Minor Cog November 10, 2011 at 5:54 pm
You never will see a DHEC staff decision publicized, you see a DHEC management decision. If DHEC technical staff happen to agree that is just a fortunate coincidence.
By Skidmarks November 10, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Maybe they’ll dredge up that A-bomb that was dropped off Tybee in the ’50s.
By Jamie November 10, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Can Fits or legislators get their hands on her list of donors for the last couple of months, maybe through court order? This action must be stopped before it is to late. Damn woman makes me sick.
By Been there November 10, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Couldn’t one of the DHEC Board voted againsnt it? Are they all Nikki sheep?
By Peter O November 10, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Personally, I think SC lost this battle a decade ago when most of the distributors relocated to Savannah. But none of this makes ANY sense.
It is mind-boggling to me that the Corps of Engineers determined that dredging the 35 mile Savannah River was a higher priority than dredging the dozen miles of the Port of Charleston.
It is mind-boggling to me that DHEC would suddenly reverse itself on this after a minor concession. Not all of the board members are Haley appointees. Their terms are staggered. Not that the Corps needed DHEC’s approval anyway. They’ve already threatened to go on without SC’s blessing.
I will be VERY curious to hear the governor’s response to this. Notice she has been careful not to say she supports Savannah (not publicly, anyway), she just promised Georgia would get a fair hearing.
South Carolina’s best shot at this point is to probably sue Georgia for breach of contract for dumping the dredge spoil on the Jasper site. Could buy some time, anyway.
By Peter O November 10, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Plus, any neutral observer knows DHEC was exaggerating those environmental impacts to sabotage Georgia. Doesn’t really explain why they reversed themselves, though.
By keeping 'em honest November 10, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Peter O
Hate to burst your bubble that Nikki didn’t appoint all the DHEC Board. The way the law is written, the Board terms are supposed to be staggered, but Sanfraud never lived up to his responsibilities to appoint Board members. When Nikki got it office, all the Board terms had expired so she got to replace them all in April. And if you look at Nikki’s list of donors to her campaign, guess whose names you’ll see at the top of the list?
Oh, and let’s not forget the DHEC board members that have provided Nikki free air flights back and forth to Georgia.
By political hack November 11, 2011 at 1:48 am
Greasy port politics. So Haley gets bought off by some Georgia port men by some campaign cash and a speaking arrangement and what did she have to give up? Why should you have to capitulate anything to Georgia for the corps to dredge a SC harbor? Is the corps in Georgia’s pocket?
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By Been there November 11, 2011 at 6:49 am
Peter O,
All the present DHEC Board members were appointed by Nikki, by the way approved by Senator Peeler.
By Dubya November 11, 2011 at 7:29 am
Good Point about Peeler, a Haley Lackey if there ever was one!
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By Julian Harrison November 23, 2011 at 8:03 am
With the EPA you can break the law to the extent money will buy.