A year after declaring the megaport dead, “No Port Southport,” an opposition group that has battled against what was once called the North Carolina International Terminal, is calling an end to its five-year fight.
In a press release, the group, which formed in 2008 in response to the State Ports Authority’s plans to develop a deepwater port just upriver from Southport, announced its dissolution and its mission completed.
To formally end its nonprofit status, the group on Tuesday donated its remaining funds—just over $2,400—to the North Carolina Coastal Federation at its office in Wrightsville Beach.
Rhodes Messick, founder of No Port Southport, called the donation a fitting end to the fight, noting the federation’s environmental purpose.
“We’d worked closely with them, and they’ve been very supportive of us, so it seemed like the logical thing to do,” Messick said.
“It’s kind of bittersweet. Five and a half years you’ve worked on it, and then it’s over,” he said. “At the same time, I’m glad we’ve done it, and now I can move on to doing other things.”
After the ports authority in 2010 put the project “on hold,” in response to waning political support both locally and in the General Assembly, No Port Southport declared the project dead two years later, when the White House announced it would focus port expansions on five U.S. ports, with no funding allocated for North Carolina ports.
Related story: Ports director: N.C. ‘can’t go toe-to-toe’ with neighboring East Coast ports
At the same time, a state-sponsored study, called the North Carolina Maritime Strategy, recommended improving existing facilities—the Port of Wilmington and the Port of Morehead City—over construction of a new port to meet the state’s shipping needs.
Fellow opposition group “Save the Cape”—a splinter group of No Port Southport—maintained the project remained alive so long as the 600 acres near Southport remained under state ownership. That group recently rallied the ports authority board to designate the land for use as a state park.
Board members responded receptively to the idea, with Transportation Secretary Tony Tata telling the board he would put the proposal on the governor’s radar.
Related story: Ports board receptive to plan to turn Southport site into state park
And last month, the board was apprised of plans to write off $4.3 million that was budgeted for the port and record that amount as a non-operating expense. Staff said that would leave $6 million that had been allocated for the project in the authority’s capital improvement plan that would need to be adjusted in the budget, should the board choose not to build at the Southport site.
“There is no longer an imminent danger to the Cape Fear region from a mega container port,” No Port Southport said in its release.
“No Port Southport is closing its doors after over five years of operations. During that time this non-profit had the support of hundreds of like-minded citizens throughout this region and the state,” the group said. “Through the work of many people, funded by local residents, other organizations and special grant money, facts and expert analysis were done, made public and presented to elected officials from North Carolina to Washington, D.C.”
The release concludes with thanks “to all who made this day possible.”
Jonathan Spiers is a reporter for Port City Daily. He can be reached at (910) 772-6313 or jonathan.s@portcitydaily.com. On Twitter: @jrspiers
