Gov. Mark Sanford knows the critically important role the Grand Strand plays in our state's tourism economy. He has long argued that developed areas along our coast, which contribute significantly to our $14 billion tourism industry, merit protection through carefully planned programs of beach preservation and renourishment.

Because I know personally how strongly Mark feels on this subject, I want to correct for my neighbors in Horry and Georgetown counties what I believe was a misrepresentation of his position on beach renourishment in last week's The Sun News story. At the budget hearing referenced in the story, when Mark spoke of his reservations regarding beach renourishment, he was specifically referring to his long-held concern over spending millions of taxpayer dollars on projects on undeveloped beaches.

During the hearing, I heard the governor draw a clear distinction between undeveloped, natural areas along the coast and areas like Myrtle Beach, where billions of dollars in assets and the lives, and livelihoods, of tens of thousands of residents are involved. Since his first days in Congress, Mark has been a strong supporter of our state's travel industry and a good friend to Myrtle Beach, and so I think it's important that the record be set straight.

Prosser is director of the S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department and a former Horry County Council chairman.