Cunningham, Clyburn Applaud DOT Grant for the South Carolina Ports Authority
Statement
Majority Whip James Clyburn and Rep. Joe Cunningham today applauded the announcement that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will award the South Carolina Ports Authority a $19.986 million Port Infrastructure Development Grant.
The grant will help construct a toe wall and deepen three berths at South Carolina's busiest container terminal, the Wando Welch Terminal in Mt. Pleasant. The work complements adjacent recently completed wharf upgrades, that support larger cranes and accommodate larger container ships. This project also supports the Charleston Harbor Deepening project, currently underway, by stabilizing the Wando Welch Terminal's wharf structure, retaining sediment and preventing material from migrating into the waterway.
Cunningham and Clyburn wrote to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao in September of 2019 with the rest of the South Carolina delegation, encouraging DOT to make this critical investment.
"This is fantastic news for the Charleston Port and our state's economy. Improvements to the Port of Charleston, including the Wando Welch Terminal, are absolutely vital to ensuring long-term economic growth in South Carolina and throughout the Southeast," said Rep. Joe Cunningham. "I will always fight to make sure our Port has the resources it needs to continue to be an engine of economic development in our state."
"I'm proud of the work we have done to secure this grant which is an important step to ensuring the ongoing success of the South Carolina Ports Authority," said Majority Whip Clyburn. "Once the deepening project is completed, the Charleston Harbor will become the deepest harbor on the East Coast, which will have a transformative impact on South Carolina and the region."
"Our ports are an integral component of our Nation's economic success," said Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. "As the Administration continues to invest in America's infrastructure, this program will further modernize and improve the efficiency of our waterways."
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