COLUMBIA — An attempt to send an unspecified amount of funds to support the development of the future Jasper Ocean Terminal was defeated, after one lawmaker said the South Carolina Ports Authority had improperly intervened.
Rep. Bill Bowers, a Jasper County Democrat, had called his amendment “a great way for the Ports Authority to demonstrate its true genuine, honest and significant commitment to building a port in Jasper County by channeling any funds from the sale of Port Royal into the development of the Jasper site.”
With the question of whether to table the amendment, Bowers’ proposal was effectively killed by a vote of 65-49. Making up the 49 lawmakers who support it were: Reps. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, Andy Patrick, R-Hilton Head, Kenneth Hodges, D-Green Pond, Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, Weston Newton, R-Bluffton and Bowers.
“Surely all 49 were with us in heart and spirit, recognizing that the Jasper port is a game changer,” said Bowers on Wednesday. “I also believe many of those 65 (legislators who voted ‘no’) are also firmly committed to the Jasper port.”
Georgia and South Carolina have engaged haltingly for years over how to develop a multi-billion-dollar deepwater terminal on South Carolina’ side of the Savannah River.
Bowers called the future Jasper Ocean Terminal his No. 1 priority and criticized what he said were inappropriate methods by South Carolina port officials to squelch his proposal.
“The Ports Authority was, in fact, I think sending some emails and tweets and texts to some of the legislators,” said Bowers. “I really question whether agencies should be emailing and tweeting to members, while we are debating something on the house floor. I’m not sure that’s appropriate.”
The statement that the Port of Port Royal is encumbered by a bond obligations swayed some lawmakers against Bowers’ amendment. An effort to expedite the sale of the Port of Port Royal property, which is located in Beaufort County, is moving forward.
Telephone messages left with the Ports Authority were not returned Wednesday.
But when asked by email whether the Ports Authority had contacted lawmakers with regard to Bowers’ amendment and the amount of any bond obligation tied to the Port Royal property, SCSPA spokeswoman Erin Pabst responded by email:
“The SC Ports Authority (SCPA) provides information to lawmakers upon request. The SCPA, along with the (Georgia Ports Authority), have committed funds to the property purchase and ongoing studies of the Jasper Ocean Terminal,” she said. “A new budget for the (Joint Project Office) will be discussed this summer and considered by both Authorities.”
Pabst said the Port Royal property is an asset of the Ports Authority, and that, “Assets of the SCPA are pledged as collateral for our revenue bonds.”
Rep. Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill, had led the opposition to Bowers’ Jasper port amendment. Simrill, who chairs the budget writing subcommittee that covers the Ports Authority, said Bowers’ measure was raised so late that he had to ask the Ports Authority on the floor to get more information about its effects.
“I contacted the Ports Authority and said ‘here’s the amendment. I want to know the details of Port Royal,’” said Simrill on Wednesday.
“The question was how much is owed on Port Royal? Well, the Port Royal property is actually part of a larger bonded obligation,” said Simrill. “When they (the Ports Authority) did their bonds for other projects that they do, that parcel was used as collated for that bonded obligation.”
Rep. Kenneth Hodges said Wednesday he wasn’t surprised the proposal was defeated, because a budget vote is not the optimal place to raise the issue.
But he said, “there may be opportunities in the future.”
Even though he voted in support of Bowers’ amendment, Hodges said what killed the amendment was a broader feeling that directing funding was premature.
“There’s no aggressive movement to move the (Jasper) port forward at this time,” said Hodges. “There was frustration with the sale of the Port of Port Royal but also the movement in Jasper County.”