Georgia Governor Nathan Deal spoke to the media during a visit of the Port of Savannah, Tuesday, April 24, 2012, in Savannah, Ga., to mark the passage of the state budget, including an additional $46.7 million to help pay for the Savannah Harbor deepening, for a total to $181.1 million in state funds devoted to the project.
Noting U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research showing the port deepening will reduce shipping costs by more than $100 million, Governor Deal said the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project will have a major impact on 21,000 U.S. companies, 75 percent of which are headquartered outside of Georgia.
“We know that this project is important; not just for the Savannah area, it’s important for the state of Georgia, and it is also important for the United States,” Gov. Deal said. “I am pleased that the state of Georgia is living up to its commitment. We will have our 40 percent, and as soon as we get the sign-off from the federal agencies, we will all be working collectively to get the federal government to make the commitment for their 60 percent, so that this project can become a reality.”