Graham: Deepening Study Gets Funds

U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham said Wednesday that the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has set aside $2.5 million to continue the on-going study to deepen Charleston Harbor, according to a news release.

The funding will be matched by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, and Graham said he is hopeful ongoing funding for the study will be included in the 2013 budget, which should be presented next week by the White House.

"This is the most significant federal contribution made thus far to the Charleston Harbor deepening effort," Graham said. "It is a significant victory given the fact that President Obama’s budget for Fiscal Year 2012 had nothing allocated for Charleston."

The multiyear study began last summer and is expected to cost $20 million.

Savannah and Charleston have been in a battle over port-deepening funding as the Panama Canal is widened. Larger vessels that will come out of the canal can only currently fit through ports in New York and Virginia.

The slow expansion of U.S. ports was criticized this week by the Panama's project chief. The widening is expected to be complete in 2014 and should expand container business across the East Coast. The shipping channel in Charleston needs to be deepened by 50 feet to accomodate the ships.

South Carolina's Congressional delegation has decried the funding process as being allocated based on political influence.

"These funds are being awarded under a more merit-based system," he said today. "We have always known that Charleston will fare well under that standard as harbor deepening is a worthwhile investment.”