County officials have worked for more than a decade to bring a port to Georgia-owned land on the Savannah River in Jasper and reached a development, management and loan agreement with private developer SSA Marine in January.
But the Ports Authority is looking for its own private port developer for the Savannah River site and has filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court challenging Jasper's right to pursue port plans.
Pinckney, D-Ridgeland, and Sen. David Thomas, R-Greenville, both members of the Senate's Ports Authority Subcommittee, will hold a press conference to announce the proposed compromise at 11:30 a.m. today at the Statehouse.
Pinckney wouldn't offer details about the pitch Tuesday but a release announcing today's press conference states that the compromise has the support of 23 other senators and 43 members of the state House of Representatives.
"This issue should be settled out of court," Pinckney said Tuesday. "I believe this compromise will address issues the (Ports Authority) has raised, keeping in mind the invested interest of Jasper County and SSA."
Under Jasper's agreement with SSA Marine, the county would receive $4 million a year once the port opened plus $2 per cargo container that moves through the terminal.
Thomas said the senators' plan has a similar structure.
"Jasper County can and should receive from its port an income, both a per-container fee and a fixed sum," he said.
"Basically it lays out those conditions," he added.
Word of a proposed compromise came as a surprise Tuesday to officials on each side of the debate.
"I'm not aware of any Ports Authority involvement in it," Ports Authority spokesman Byron Miller said of the plan.
Jasper officials wondered why Pinckney didn't mention his plan Monday when he met with County Council members to discuss their trip to Columbia planned for Thursday.
"I'm surprised he didn't mention it," said County Councilman Chairman George Hood.
County Administrator Andrew Fulghum also said he didn't know what the Pinckney-Thomas plan would include.
"We're heading up tomorrow to discuss their solution," he said Tuesday.
Pinckney said his plan has strong support on both sides of the aisle.
"There is strong bipartisan support for this," he said. "Over half the Senate and many House members are on board."
Today's announcement will come a day before Jasper officials are expected to go before the Senate's Ports Authority Subcommittee on Thursday to present their development plan to legislators.
Any residents interested in joining Thursday's trip should call the county at 726-7700.