Gov. Mark Sanford will personally meet with Jasper County leaders about the proposed marine terminal on South Carolina's side of the Savannah River.

Jasper County Council Chairman George Hood said Wednesday that the governor's office told him a schedule will be worked out next week for a meeting, probably the week of March 14.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, D-Ridgeland, addressed a nearly full house of senators to berate the S.C. State Ports Authority and its recent moves to take over development of a proposed marine terminal in Jasper County.

And, Pinckney said a recently established Senate ports subcommittee will meet with Jasper County officials at 9 a.m. March 10 in Columbia.

"Jasper County was stunned and surprised by the SPA's action" last Friday when the port authority announced it was seeking "expressions of interest" from the maritime industry for a partnership in developing a container cargo terminal on the site Jasper County has eyed for several years, Pinckney told senators.

"Jasper County would welcome the SPA's collaboration and support, but the SPA is only trying to hijack the project, which it opposed until just three months ago," Pinckney said.

"Jasper County is requesting an immediate meeting with Gov. Mark Sanford to seek his support," Pinckney said.

Hood said he looks forward to talking to Sanford about the marine terminal impasse with the SPA.

"I am anxiously awaiting our meeting," he said.

Asked about a possible SPA/Jasper County marine terminal development, Hood said "we're welcoming all options. Everything's on the table."

Meanwhile, SPA President and CEO Bernard Groseclose on Wednesday went on the offensive, saying Jasper County is "tied to a private company, SSA Marine, through an exclusive agreement that freezes out other potential partners. And the county is attempting to ignore and downplay the importance of state law that authorizes the Ports Authority to work in the best interests of all taxpayers in the state."

He said a marine terminal managed by SSA Marine for Jasper County would send the local maritime industry into a recessive battle.

"Given the very aggressive and optimistic volume projections for the SSA project, there exists the very real potential for destructive competition with the Georgia Ports Authority in the form of rate-cutting," Groseclose said. "To protect its public investment, Georgia would likely respond by undercutting SSA's rates to maintain business.

"While we have never been fearful of fair, market-based competition, this resulting rate depression would spread to Charleston's existing operations, preventing the Ports Authority from obtaining reasonable rates from its customers. This, in turn, will hamstring our ability to reinvest in South Carolina's public port facilities."

The SPA is trying to buy the land from Georgia.

"Discussions with Georgia continue," SPA spokesman Byron Miller said Wednesday.

Jasper County has initiated condemnation proceedings against Georgia after its offers to buy the land were turned down.

Georgia argues it needs the site to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dump mud from periodic dredging of the Savannah Harbor.

Groseclose denied Jasper County officials' allegations that the SPA would acquire the site simply to prevent its development as a marine terminal.

"They say we only want to mothball the land," he said. "The truth is that we have a reasonable timeline that reflects real-world conditions. Unfortunately, we can't control the myriad of regulators involved in permitting a port, and setting a date certain to satisfy a few critics would be dishonest."

He said once the land is acquired and "necessary environmental issues (are addressed) through a permit process, which could take from one to five years, construction would follow immediately," Groseclose said.

Reporter Mark Kreuzwieser may be reached at 837-5255 or mark.kreuzwieser@lowcountrynow.com