Today, Attorney General Sam Olens was on hand for the signing of the project partnership agreement between the Army Corps of Engineers, the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Ports Authority for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, which clears the way for construction phase to begin. The dredging of the Savannah Harbor is a crucial economic development project for the entire State of Georgia that will bolster the competitiveness of the Port of Savannah by allowing it to accommodate larger ships from the Panama Canal. Attorney General Olens played a critical role in moving the project forward by resolving litigation that could have put the deepening on hold for years.

Attorney General Olens released the following statement on the signing.

“Today is a momentous day for the State of Georgia and is the result of many years of hard work and collaboration. I am pleased that my office was able to remove the legal barriers that were blocking this critical project, while ensuring that it is carried out in an environmentally responsible and transparent manner.

The Port of Savannah already supports hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide and is fastest growing container port in the nation. The expansion cements Georgia’s position as the business leader of the Southeast and ensures that this vital economic engine will continue to boost jobs.”