NO PORT discusses environmental impact, announces contest winner

Interested citizens filled the Southport Community Building. They listened intently to presentations about environmental impacts of the proposed international terminal that the state ports authority is planning for Southport. NO PORT Southport member, Susan Toth said, "We felt as though these would be ideal people to be talking to. A group that could present their areas of expertise and it would be an un-biased approach." Attendees asked questions of the panel, consisting of professionals from UNCW, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, and the US Geological Survey. "I'm a small business owner so I believe in capitalism and I'm interested in the trade-off's between what the benefits might be for the state versus potentially the environmental impacts," said Oak Island’s Dennis Maner. NO PORT Southport recently challenged people to come up with the best alternate idea of what to build on the 600 acres of land where the port would be. "This is a great opportunity. This is a site that should not be spoiled by a port," said Frank Bausch. Frank took first prize and $500 for his idea of an energy park. "There would be five energy producers. One display of nuclear power, one of storage technology, one is a wind site, one is a tidal power. Two are solar - one concentrated power and one solar voltaic rays - and one fun thing- geothermal heat pumps." NO PORT Southport plans to present the winning entry to Governor Perdue. Bausch plans to present his idea at a renewable energy summit hosted by Congressman Mike McIntyre in July.