Ga. to invest in deeper Savannah port

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SAVANNAH, Ga., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Georgia's governor said plans are moving forward for a massive investment to deepen the Port of Savannah, the nation's fourth-largest port.

Gov. Nathan Deal said he will likely ask state lawmakers to kick in between $40 million and $50 million toward a project that's already garnered $652 million from the federal government to deepen the Savannah River from 42 feet to 47 feet for a stretch of 32 miles, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday.

The port handled a record 3 million containers last fiscal year and the river deepening will allow even larger ships to enter. The Journal-Constitution said 100,000 jobs in the region depend on the port.

Deal said he hasn't finalized an agreement with the state's Legislature on just how much to spend this year on the project, but an agreement with the federal government sees a 60/40 split between federal and state governments. If approved, the work could begin as soon as next year.