After much debate, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford plans to sign a bill to close the port of Port Royal. The governor says he will sign that bill tomorrow on the site in the Low Country.

The governor made the proposal last year during budget hearings after he announced the port was operating in the red. In fact, Sanford said the port has been losing nearly $60,000 a year.

Port royal town leaders have been waiting for this announcement for years and are excited about the closure. "Hope we can move on to the next step in closing the port and redeveloping it for better use, get it back on the tax roll," said Mayor Sam Murray.

After the governor signs the bill, the ports authority will have until December 31, 2006 to sell the property.

Reported by: Jaime Dailey, jdailey@wtoc.com