|
Page 4 of 4
Mitigating the downside
To offset any negative impacts of construction, the S.C. State Ports Authority has included what has been called the state’s largest environmental and community mitigation package, estimated at $12.2 million, which includes both environmental and community mitigation measures.
Byron Miller, spokesman for the SPA, said part of the mitigation plan is result of a working partnership between the city of North Charleston, the community and the SPA. Over several months, the city and the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities, a group of seven neighborhoods near the terminal site, worked with the SPA to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive impacts. The resulting agreement, which was signed by each of these parties, calls for the SPA to fund $4.08 million in community, neighborhood and economic development projects.
The first $750,000 installment was made to the city of North Charleston in December. Annual payments of $300,000 will follow until the project is completed in 2013.
Specific community priorities that will be funded through this effort include: a housing trust for affordable housing, environmental monitoring, scholarships and other financial support for education, business assistance, health care and fitness amenities, community center improvements, a maritime career center or training institute and a community redevelopment master plan.
The remaining $8 million in the mitigation plan is earmarked for several local environmental and ecological concerns, including $1.5 million for 22 acres of tidal marsh on Drum Island; $1 million each for oyster reef restoration and enhancements and land preservation on Morris Island and a nature conservancy to acquire wetlands along the Cooper River; and $975,000 for the Clemson Restoration Institute.
Other mitigation elements that are not included in the funding plan are $1 million for right whale harm avoidance as well as sound buffers around the facilities and other measures in a noise abatement plan.
In addition to the SPA’s efforts, the SCDOT also has planned extensive mitigation for impacts associated with the Port Access Road.
The mitigation plan, although more comprehensive than any ever presented in the state before, still “misses the mark” for the Coastal Conservation League.
“This might be a nice step in right direction, but the plan still addresses less than 1 percent of the things the ports authority needs to be addressing,” said Nancy Vinson, program manager for the conservation league. “There are some big things that need to be addressed, like the pollution coming from the ships, tugs and trucks. There will be dramatically increased air pollution with the additional trucks on the road, plus serious traffic congestion and gridlock.”
Vinson said she believes the estimates in the environmental impact statement are not accurate.
“The port proposal will double traffic on I-26,” she said. “Instead of 10,000 vehicles per day, it’ll probably be more than 20,000 or 30,000 per day. And the mitigation plan is not adequate to protect the health of the citizens in Charleston region.”
Nevertheless, Miller said the SPA is going “above and beyond” with its mitigation plan and is taking action to address air pollution issues, including signing a voluntary memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health and Environmental Control last year.
Over the past year, the SPA has reduced truck idling on its facilities and decreased truck trips on local roads, lessened construction impacts, retired dirty equipment and purchased cleaner engines.
“We take these issues very seriously,” he said. “We have a commitment to cleaner air that includes cutting emissions by 10 percent.”
The latest efforts include replacing fuel in equipment at the Port of Charleston’s public facilities with cleaner ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The SPA and seven on-terminal tenants will be using the low sulfur diesel fuel no later than September of this year, nearly two years before it is required by federal regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that all off-road equipment switch to ULSD by 2010.
“We can achieve a cleaner environment while developing additional business in the Port of Charleston,” said Bernard S. Groseclose, Jr., president and CEO of the SPA, who has also served as second vice president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors and as chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities. “Through these emissions-cutting efforts, the ports authority and other maritime companies are pledging their commitment to being responsible neighbors while continuing to support economic growth.”
In the meantime, the conservation league maintains its stand with an appeal to the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to allow construction.
Miller said the legal fight creates delays that can harm business, but the SPA is committed to completing the projects.
“There are no stays to construction, so we continue,” he said. “Companies in this industry are looking three, five, 10 years down the road, and they want confidence that you’re going to meet their needs. For that and other reasons, we must continue and we will.”
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>
|
|
|
