By Daniel Brock
dbrock@scbiznews.com
Published Aug. 25, 2010

Local political leaders, including Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, are lining up behind a rail plan being pitched by the city of North Charleston.

In a letter addressed to U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., and dated Aug. 6, Riley wrote that North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey’s efforts are “not only important to the City of North Charleston, but for our region as well.”

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley

Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails

Summey’s proposal links the city, CSX transportation and a local developer in a plan to build an intermodal rail yard at the southern end of the former Navy base. It would also be located near the S.C. State Ports Authority cargo terminal that is under construction in North Charleston.

North Charleston City Council recently approved a memorandum of understanding between the trio that authorized the group to seek funding for a $3 million federal planning grant.

“I wish to assure you,” Riley wrote to Clyburn. “That the City of Charleston supports their request for federal funds to assist in the redevelopment of this part of North Charleston.”

A portion of the funds North Charleston is applying for would come from the $600 million federal TIGER II Discretionary Grants program. The city of Charleston is applying for the same money for U.S. Highway 17/Septima Clark Parkway and street drainage projects.

Riley told Clyburn that those efforts were his city’s “highest priorty” but that “to the extent that any additional funds would be available to support North Charleston’s request, we would certainly encourage that to be given favorable consideration.”

Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails also is firmly on board with the plan.

“Keith’s doing what he’s supposed to do: take care of the quality of life of his citizens and support the best plan,” Swails said. “He has a plan. No one else does.”

Swails said that while area municipalities are experiencing their best working relationship ever, the feeling is not as warm with state lawmakers.
“I’m not sure I can say that with the House and the Senate and the governor’s office, but all of our cities working extremely hard together,” Swails said.

On Monday, the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments voted overwhelming to support Summey’s plan, with only three representatives opposed. The council has more than 50 members.

Summey said that Norfolk Southern Corp. officials told Dorchester County clients they would not be able to serve them under the North Charleston plan because rail carrier wouldn’t have access to the port terminal.

“That’s bunk,” Summey said.

Dorchester County Council members recently sent their own letter to Clyburn asking that he not support Summey’s plan, a move that infuriated the mayor.

A Norfolk Southern engine moves through the Seven Mile Yard in North Charleston. (Photo/Leslie Halpern)

“I had words with Dorchester County councilmen on Monday about their inability to communicate with the second largest city in their county to get our opinion before they vote on a letter without knowledge of what they’re talking about,” Summey said.

Dorchester County officials could not be reached for comment.

Norfolk Southern and S.C. Public Railways insist that a single intermodal terminal served by both the Virginia-based carrier and CSX is best way to keep the port competitive.

The only plan that they’ve mentioned would place the facility on land at the former Navy base currently deeded to the Clemson Restoration Institute for its wind turbine drivetrain testing facility.

That would require large intermodal trains to regularly run through redevelopment efforts on the north end of the military property. It would also go against a 2002 memorandum of understanding between North Charleston and SPA partly aimed at stopping such movement.

“A rail yard in the middle of that would destroy that. And the Clemson windmill project is probably the greatest potential we’ve had for the Navy Base to date,” Summey said.

Summey said he was amazed S.C. Public Rail and Norfolk Southern have had eight years to look at a rail plan that goes through the south and “now they think they can come in and not have to abide by guidelines, regulations and agreements that have been in place since 2002.”

Summey said that he felt Norfolk Southern wouldn’t mind seeing the Port of Charleston flounder because the rail carriers control a majority of cargo at the ports of Norfolk and Savannah. If ships decided not to come here, he said, they would move to one of those locations.

The mayor said that the entire issue could be headed for litigation, and that he’d like to have the issue resolved in federal court, because he could take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

He added that “could slow down the whole terminal project because North Charleston has to sign off on the port access road,” indicating the city would be loathe to do so under those circumstances.

Reach Daniel Brock at 843-849-3144.