Spotlight on Wilmington Port expansion plans

University of North Carolina Wilmington graduate students have organized as a class project a forum on the proposed N.C. Port of Wilmington expansion project.

The forum will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. on November 15 in Teaching Lab 1011 on the UNCW campus.

Part of the N.C. State Ports Authority’s preferred plan to expand the port is to deepen the Wilmington navigational harbor to 47 feet to accommodate larger, deep-draft container vessels, according to the website.

During the forum, panelists are expected to share what the expansion means for the environment, economy and community, and then answer questions from moderators and the audience.

Panelists include:

• Brian Clark, N.C. State Ports Authority;

• Brayton Willis, Brunswick County NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, Gullah Geechee Greenway-Blueway Heritage Trail Project;

• Kemp Burdette, Cape Fear River Watch; and

• Natalie English, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.