RiverPort Development along the Savannah River

RiverPort is a nearly 6,000 acre industrial, residential and commercial development along the banks of the Savannah National wildlife Refuge and near the Savannah River, within the City of Hardeeville and Jasper County.

This development shares a 6-mile border with the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge and this relationship should not go unacknowledged. The Savannah River, a moving waterway whose footprint swells and shrinks, depends on this wetland buffer to grow and support the wildlife within it.

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1927, is over 29,000 acres of freshwater marsh and bottomland hardwood forest. The refuge provides valuable sanctuary for birds and other wildlife.

To balance the development coming to RiverPort and the impacts to the Savannah River, we believe great attention should be given to the wildlife refuge. Impacts from new roads and bridges, industry, stormwater and residential development all must be considered adjacent to this refuge.

The Conservation League will work with Stratford Land, our Conservation partners including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Beaufort and Jasper Counties to achieve the best conservation solution for this proposed development.

Because of the large scale of the project, it will go through an Environmental Impact Statement review process. During this process you can comment to the Federal government and ask for increased protection for the Wildlife Refuge, additional conserved acreage and the best balance between development in Jasper County and protection of our natural resources. The two go together. Without a healthy wetland system, there is neither a healthy Savannah River nor a healthy Jasper County.