NEW BERN North Carolina has been a fast-growing, progressive state attracting the best minds and most innovative businesses. The state has looked to the future, considered the long-term needs of our citizens, and made bold decisions about vital projects.
Our university and community college systems and the Research Triangle Park are among the visionary projects that have positioned North Carolina as a leader in commerce, research and education. In each case, we looked beyond today - to the next decade and further - to turn our ideas into realities. Those ideas have fostered the brightest minds, a talented workforce and a home for groundbreaking research, all to the benefit and prosperity of our citizens.
The N.C. International Terminal (NCIT) is a similar idea.
Our state has the geographical advantage to be in a unique position to develop a world-class port at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County. The planned site is on 600 vacant acres of industrial-zoned land and would provide nearby deepwater access for both the current and next generation of large global container ships. Few other East Coast ports are able to accommodate these ships that will dominate the future of global trade.
North Carolina will be the seventh-most populous state by 2030. This, together with our proximity to the emerging population center of the Charlotte/Atlanta/Knoxville region, will make using North Carolina's ports an attractive choice for businesses here and abroad. But to capitalize on that demand, we must have the facilities to accommodate tomorrow's larger ships. Preparing for tomorrow requires planning and investment today.
Ports drive economic progress. Our ports at Morehead City and Wilmington and inland terminals in Greensboro and Charlotte contribute nearly $299 million annually to state and local tax revenue and support 85,000 jobs. These are port employees, truck drivers, warehouse workers, retail owners and salespeople, farmers and the thousands of others affected by port operations.
Independent studies show the new port would support more than 400,000 jobs statewide. It would generate billions in state and local tax revenues and serve as an engine for economic growth and job creation from the mountains to the coast. Southeastern North Carolina would be home to distribution centers in need of port access and a logistics network of roads and rail. Having an asset like NCIT would better prepare our state to weather future economic storms.
Before any decision is made, extensive research, review and public input must be gathered to guide the process. Because NCIT will be a new port, it will allow us to capitalize on the latest environmentally friendly operations, such as using electric cranes and equipment. We can minimize the environmental footprint of NCIT and implement environmentally sustainable operations, contributing to our state's reputation as an environmental steward.
With NCIT near Progress Energy's Brunswick nuclear power plant and the Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point, efforts have been under way to coordinate and enhance security and response plans in the area. Planning is also under way at the state Department of Transportation, to not only provide NCIT with highway and rail access but also to improve mobility in Brunswick County for businesses and citizens alike.
If approved by the state, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could begin a feasibility study to review economic, environmental, security, engineering and cultural factors and impacts related to the project, along with gathering public input. Only if the project meets approval would the Corps proceed to the next stage of research and planning.
Now is the time to decide whether our state wants to lead or follow. We can follow other states whose ports see fewer ships as the new ones outgrow current facilities. Or, we can seize on an opportunity to strengthen North Carolina's economy, attract new industries, create jobs and build America's next great port.