Southeast Advocacy: International Port
North Carolina officials announced in 2007 they had purchased more than 600 acres on the Cape Fear River for a massive new container port as part of the state’s effort to attract more commerce through its ports. This project came as a surprise to many and now could be one of the largest projects ever undertaken by the state. What the state is proposing is a modern port that could handle the largest container ships in the world. It could change the face of our Southeast Region forever and could pose unimaginable environmental consequences on our air and water resources throughout the region.
The proposed port would just south of the Sunny Point Munitions Terminal and north of Southport and bounded by the Cape Fear River and Progress Energy to the west.
Map of Proposed Port
The State Says the Port Could…
- Provide more than 6,000 jobs
- Generate more than $1.2 billion annually in revenue...read more
- Cost more than $2.3 billion in current dollars...read more
Potential Effects on the Environment
But the potential environmental and social effects and problems could be overwhelming. Hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars, will be needed to improve roads, provide rail, build schools and other infrastructure that will be on the taxpayers’ tab and not the port’s.
Environmental effects on the Cape Fear and the effects on the region’s air haven’t yet been assessed. Large ports tend to be among the most polluted areas in our country. The state rushed to purchase the land and now has the unenviable task of making the port fit the land instead of the land fitting the port. In response to citizen concerns about the port project preceding without public involvement the Corps of Engineers announced in September that the required reconnaissance study would be open for public comment.
NO PORT Southport, a citizen group in Southport, has formed to stop the port, and the federation will be attending the meetings sponsored by this group to begin gathering information to determine the potential impacts to this region.
Map of Lower Ships Channel
Map of Upper Ships Channel
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