The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) earlier in October signed the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) to officially launch construction on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP).
COL. Thomas Tickner signed October 8th the cost-sharing agreement between the state of Georgia and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which permits the initiation of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project at Home Depot distribution center in Locust Grove, Ga.
The PPA will allow USACE to use state funds already appropriated by the legislature to begin construction while the Corps awaits congressional appropriations for the federal portion of the project. The State of Georgia has already set aside $209 million for its share of the deepening with another $35 million available in early 2015.
Deepening of the Savannah Harbor from its current authorized depth of 42 feet down to 47 feet will bring $174 million in annual net benefits to the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came to this conclusion following years of extensive research.
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Dredging Today Staff