Congressman Jack Kingston - First District of Georgia

Washington, Jul 18, 2012 - Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) today welcomed the Administration’s commitment to complete its review of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) by November 2012.

“Fifteen years in the making, the expansion of Savannah’s harbor is of significant national importance and this announcement reaffirms that fact,” said Kingston.  “I appreciate the Administration joining our efforts and helping move this project one step closer to completion.  Expansion is an investment in our local, regional, and national economy that will pay dividends by laying the groundwork for growth and job creation.  Let’s hope this sends a strong signal to the bureaucracy to cut the red tape and move on this project.”

In the most comprehensive study of the Savannah River estuary in its history, the US Army Corps of Engineers has determined that deepening Savannah’s harbor to 47 feet is not only environmentally sound but would bring an annual net benefit of $147 million to the United States.  The project is necessary to accommodate larger ships which will traverse the Panama Canal after an expansion of the canal is completed in 2014.

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