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June 29, 2010
McIntyre Announces Opposition To
North Carolina International Terminal
U.S.
Congressman Mike McIntyre announced today that he is opposed to the
building of the proposed North Carolina International Terminal in
Brunswick County. His
statement is below:
“Several years ago the
North Carolina Ports Authority proposed
constructing a new, international container facility in Southport. In
the past I
expressed very serious concerns about how this project might affect the
quality
of life in Brunswick County. I have also stated that there were very
serious
questions that needed to be answered before the project could move
forward.
These include concerns about national security, infrastructure,
environmental
and economic impacts, and potential affect on local shorelines already
struggling
with erosion. After years of public debate, I still have these concerns
and these
questions remain unanswered.
“A reconnaissance
study has been completed, but a much more costly
feasibility study remains. After listening to the concerns of the people
in
Brunswick County, and studying this issue I have come to the conclusion
that an
international port is not right for Southport or the people of Brunswick
County.
Specifically, my concerns are:
First, as Vice-Chairman of the Armed Services
Subcommittee on Terrorism,
I am concerned that the location of the proposed port is between two
facilities that pose a tempting target of terrorist attack or would be
at
catastrophic risk in the case of an accident. The site for the proposed
international port is near the Progress Energy Brunswick Nuclear Power
Plant and the Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point. I have not been
convinced that security at a port of the size of the proposed project
would
be adequate enough for the safety and security of the nuclear plant and
Sunny Point. More than 90% of the munitions used by our men and women
fighting overseas flows through Sunny Point. Doing anything that might
pose a risk to that facility would be putting both our soldiers and our
national security at risk. In addition, the Brunswick Nuclear Plant is
also by
the proposed port. Much like Sunny Point, it is not wise or prudent to
locate a facility nearby that might pose a risk to the plant.
Second, I am concerned that the question of
infrastructure associated with
a facility the size of the proposed international port has not been
answered.
A port of this size would require a massive expansion of roads and rails
leading to the port. In addition, the flow of heavy trucks and tractor
trailers
through Brunswick County could expand to a rate that the area has never
known. This dramatic expansion in heavy traffic not only poses a strain
on
the region’s infrastructure resources but also raises questions of
safety on
the roads and economic damage to property values.
Third, I am also concerned with the potential
environmental impacts and
the impact on the quality of life of the people of Brunswick County. The
Cape Fear River is a treasure that is enjoyed by sportsmen and
environmentalists alike. It is an important fish habitat and home to
many
environmentally sensitive areas. In addition to the environmental
sensitivity, Brunswick County is also home to a fishing industry that
has
existed for centuries. The fishing men and women of North Carolina are
already under great strain because of the economy and fishing closures. I
am concerned that this port would harm an industry that is already being
squeezed.
Finally, I am concerned about the cost of
the international port and our
growing national debt. From a few hundred thousand dollars for the
initial
reconnaissance study to $10 million for the feasibility study, and now
several billion for the actual construction of the proposed
international
port, the question of “how it will be paid for” has not been answered.
Because of these concerns, and concerns
raised by the communities of
Southport, Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach, Boiling Springs, and Saint
James – I
have come to the conclusion that the proposed international port is too
risky and
too costly and could cause irreparable harm both economically and
environmentally.”
Click here for .pdf file of this release.
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