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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on the final federal reimbursement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to the State of South Carolina for the Charleston Harbor Deepening project. Earlier today, Graham joined South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) President and CEO Barbara Melvin and Lt. Col. Todd Mainwaring, district commander of USACE Charleston District, to mark the milestone.

USACE announced they would include $21.28 million in their fiscal year 2025 Work Plan to reimburse the state of South Carolina

“This is great news for the Port of Charleston and the people of South Carolina. Success doesn’t just happen – you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and stay engaged – and that’s what we did. As a state, federal and local team, we devised a creative solution to ensure that SC Ports had the deepest harbor on the East Coast. The deepening of the Charleston Harbor is about jobs – both today and in the future. It also ensures that the Port remains a multi-billion dollar economic engine that will continue to benefit South Carolina and the rest of the country. Governor McMaster, Senator Leatherman and their colleagues invested state money up front to make sure the harbor deepening project stayed on track. I committed early on to ensure the federal government reimbursed South Carolina for this important investment. With this announcement from the Army Corps of Engineers, we have fulfilled that promise. I am very grateful to the Trump Administration for making this happen,” said Senator Graham.

Graham was a leader in pushing Charleston Harbor deepening forward and worked to secure the necessary federal funding and authorizations to keep the project on track. Early on, South Carolina invested funds at the state level to ensure the harbor deepening could be completed at a quicker pace. Following the project’s completion, Graham continued to press for the project’s reimbursement. A deepened Charleston Harbor helps to preserve South Carolina’s role as a leader in international manufacturing and also makes the state attractive to businesses seeking additional investment opportunities. 

Graham continued, “Equally as important as the reimbursement for South Carolina, I pushed – for more than ten years – for significant federal funding to be directed toward the harbor deepening project. Whether through congressionally directed spending requests or authorizations for federal funding, my attitude toward the harbor deepening project was ‘failure is not an option.’ I couldn’t be more proud of what we were able to accomplish and I am so excited to see the Port continue to grow and cement its status as a premier port on the East Coast.”

Background on the Charleston Harbor Deepening project and the reimbursement efforts:

• 2011: Harbor Deepening project began. Graham secured the first $150,000 for the project’s initial study.
• 2012: The state of South Carolina contributed $300 million in support of the project.
• 2017: FY17 Army Corps Work Plan is released. Graham helped secure a “new start” for the Harbor Deepening Project and $17.5 million for the project.
• 2018: Construction began on the Harbor Deepening Project
• Graham helped secure $49 million in FY18 Army Corps Work Plan
• Graham helped secure $41.4 million in FY19 Army Corps Work Plan
• 2019: Graham worked with President Trump to include the project in the FY20 President’s Budget Request. Graham helped secure $138 million in the FY20 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.
• 2022-2023: Charleston Harbor reached a depth of 52 feet, making it the deepest port on the East Coast
• 2023: Graham secured $10 million in congressionally directed spending for the Harbor Deepening Reimbursement.
• 2024: Graham secured $25 million in congressionally directed spending for the Harbor Deepening Reimbursement.
• 2025: At Graham’s request, $21.28 million was included in the FY25 Army Corps Work Plan to complete the Habor Deepening reimbursement.

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