On this page today, Sen. Larry Grooms of Bonneau states in no uncertain terms why he plans to fight the confirmation of a Greenville textile executive, Mark Kent, who has been serving as an interim member of the State Ports Authority board. Certainly he has that right. From all accounts, however, Mr. Kent is a respected member of the board. Too bad he failed the "Daniel Island litmus test."

The use of the test is a little surprising since the Senate knows full well that Daniel Island no longer is a viable option for port development. The Legislature took Daniel Island off the table when it directed the SPA to expand instead on the former Navy Base. Indeed, the SPA already has sold some of the property it acquired in Cainhoy for a rail link and is in the process of selling the remainder. Further, the staff now is working on a marketing plan for the 1,300-acre Daniel Island site.

Mr. Kent, however, upset some members of the Senate Transportation Committee when he reportedly said during a hearing that he personally felt the Daniel Island property should be retained for future port growth. After he failed to get the committee's sanction by a 6-6 vote, his confirmation was carried over.

SPA Chairman Harry J. Butler Jr. has since sought to ease Senate concerns about the plans for Daniel Island in a letter to the committee stating, "We are currently working to determine the best way to dispose of this valuable asset. It is important that we carefully consider this process and ensure the highest possible return to the authority."

The letter went on to detail the SPA's commitment to the Navy Base expansion, including the approval of $4.9 million for environmental studies and $1.5 million in engineering, operations and mitigation work "to keep the project on track."

Mr. Kent hasn't returned calls from this newspaper seeking to clarify his position, but Sen. Grooms tells us the businessman has met with several committee members since the hearing. While the senator acknowledges that Mr. Kent can't change the SPA's course of Daniel Island, he contends that his answer on Daniel Island speaks to his lack of concern about the Lowcountry's quality of life. According to Sen. Grooms, Mr. Kent said he looks at port issues strictly from an economic standpoint.

If there is no further committee action, Mr. Kent's interim appointment will end when the Legislature adjourns in June and a new nominee will have to be submitted. The governor has been asked to withdraw Mr. Kent's name, but there's no indication that will happen. Instead, he's expected to let the "advice and consent" process run its course. If Mr. Kent is environmentally insensitive, that's something the public should know. We'd like to think that if he is being misunderstood, he'll break his silence and speak out.