Natural Resources chair wants no talk on port plan

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The woman who leads the state’s wildlife and natural resources commission doesn’t want an agency official to talk about South Carolina’s decision to allow dredging at the port of Savannah, Ga.

The State newspaper reports (http://bit.ly/xqrkQk) Caroline Rhodes says she doesn’t want the Department of Natural Resources dragged into a lawsuit on the dredging.

Mike McShane is DNR’s representative on the Savannah River Maritime Commission. The commission and environmentalists have sued to stop the project.

Rhodes says McShane should not speak on behalf of DNR regarding the project.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control approved the Savannah port dredging in November, upsetting environmental groups and those who support the state port in Charleston and one proposed in Jasper County.

Rhodes spoke to a Senate committee Wednesday.

___

Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com