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South Carolina military base task force briefs Beaufort partners; naval hospital, living-shoreline and infrastructure projects highlighted
Summary
A state military task force representative reported projects to protect and support Beaufort-area installations: a $5.4M living-shoreline award for Parris Island, funded wastewater and pathway upgrades and ongoing coordination on the naval hospital status; the Navy has said the naval hospital is not slated to close, the speaker said.
Neil (representative to the South Carolina Military Base Task Force) briefed partners on the task force’s work to advise state leadership on military installations and on efforts to preserve and expand base resiliency and mission capacity in the region. He listed recent and planned projects supported through the state task force and military enhancement funding: a $5.4 million award to build a living shoreline to reduce erosion and protect marsh west of Parris Island; funding for a new pathway connecting the air station to Laurel Bay and the Spanish Moss Trail; sewer/wastewater improvements tied to base needs; and smaller grants (trees and planning) to support the installations.
On the naval hospital, the task force representative said that as of early February the Navy had reported no plans to close the naval hospital; he added the process for new projects such as a consolidated clinic depends on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and follow-on appropriations and planning. He recommended continued coordinated messaging and rapid response white papers for federal delegation briefings on local health-care, housing and infrastructure needs related to the bases.
Why it matters: Beaufort’s economy and planning depend on the three area installations (MCAS Beaufort, MCRD Parris Island and the naval hospital). The task force’s grants and technical projects are intended to address encroachment, training and infrastructure resilience that support base missions and local economies.
Quote (selected): "The navy has said they have no plans to close the naval hospital" — South Carolina military base task force representative.
Ending: The task force representative urged continued intergovernmental coordination on health-care capacity, housing and transportation to support base retention and expansion and said the task force can provide white papers and advocacy support for federal and state funding requests.
