Legislature overrides Haley’s veto on dredging

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina legislators have easily overridden Gov. Nikki Haley’s veto of a bill designed to boost their efforts to invalidate a permit allowing Georgia to expand its Savannah port.

The Senate voted 39-0 on Thursday to override, following a 111-1 vote in the House.

The law retroactively suspends the Department of Health and Environment Control’s ability to make dredging decisions regarding the Savannah port. It reiterates a 2007 state law giving the Savannah River Maritime Commission authority over navigability issues in the river.

Haley’s veto message says the measure amounts to legislative overreaching, while having no practical effect. Legislators say her contradictory argument makes no sense. They have roundly criticized her intervention in asking her DHEC board to hear Georgia’s appeal of the agency’s initial denial.