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Washington
–
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
today
voted
for
the
Water
Resources
Development
Act
(WRDA),
which
includes
authorization
for
the
Charleston
Harbor
Deepening
Project.
The
bill
also
contains
language
inserted
by
Senators
Scott
and
Rubio
(R-FL)
regarding
coastal
storm
and
flood
risks,
and
a
provision
inserted
by
Senator
Scott
making
improvements
to
the
Lake
Marion
Regional
Water
Authority.
Senator
Scott
worked
to
ensure
the
Charleston
Harbor
Deepening
Project
was
authorized
as
part
of
this
year’s
WRDA
bill.
The
deepening
project
will
make
the
Port
of
Charleston
the
deepest
port
on
the
east
coast,
and
able
to
accept
significantly
larger
ships
coming
through
the
now-expanded
Panama
Canal.
These
post-Panamax
vessels
will
account
for
62
percent
of
container
shipping
fleets
worldwide.
Senator
Scott
said,
“The
Port
of
Charleston
is
vital
to
our
state’s
economic
future,
and
I
was
happy
to
work
with
Senator
Graham
to
ensure
our
port
will
continue
to
grow
and
create
jobs.
According
to
a
University
of
South
Carolina
study,
approximately
1
in
11
jobs
in
South
Carolina
are
tied
to
the
port,
bringing
an
economic
value
of
$53
billion
annually.”
Senator
Scott
also
worked
with
Senator
Rubio
to
authorize
the
South
Atlantic
Regional
Systems
Management
Strategy,
a
comprehensive
assessment
to
proactively
address
the
coastal
storm
and
flood
risks
of
vulnerable
coastal
populations,
ecosystems,
economies
and
infrastructure
along
the
south
Atlantic
coastline.
The
study
will
look
at
both
the
current
vulnerabilities
and
those
predicted
for
the
future.
Scott
said,
“It
is
critical
that
we
have
the
best
information
possible
when
planning
for
the
future.
Our
coastal
areas
are
home
to
millions
of
people
as
well
as
significant
economic
drivers
for
the
state
of
South
Carolina.
This
study
will
help
South
Carolina
be
better
prepared
when
planning
future
growth
from
Little
River
to
Bluffton.
Finally,
Senator
Scott
worked
to
secure
a
provision
to
improve
facilitation
for
water
infrastructure
for
the
Lake
Marion
Regional
Water
Authority
(LMRWA),
along
the
I-95
and
I-26
corridors
in
South
Carolina.
“As
our
economy
continues
to
grow
alongside
our
population,
it
is
critical
that
we
ensure
the
proper
water
infrastructure
is
in
place
to
meet
the
needs
of
our
state.
The
improvements
contained
in
this
legislation
will
be
very
helpful
in
that
regard,”
Scott
said.
WRDA
now
heads
to
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
for
a
vote.
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