Camden County Georgia USA FAA Launch Site Operator License, referendum rejection

[Phil Stooke]

A lot of talk of NIMBYs here.  It's a big mistake to think that all opposition to a development proposal is NIMBYism.  Some people are not taken in by monorail-style hype and they have every right to be suspicious of it.  Spaceport Lust is a dangerous condition and the vaccine for it is still in development.

[dfp21]

From local media reports this looks like standard government corruption, county officials trying to give taxpayer-money to private company (Union Carbide) for worthless (contaminated industrial) property. Good deal for Union Carbide. People are awake to government corruption.

The Federal Aviation Administration granted Camden County a license Dec. 20 to build and operate what would be the nation’s 13th commercial spaceport. The FAA noted in a letter that further reviews and a separate license would be needed before the spaceport could launch rockets — and said there’s no guarantee that launches would be approved.

Weinkle said Camden County commissioners failed to convince voters that spending millions on the spaceport was a good use of taxpayer dollars. And voters were motivated to turn out to the polls as a result of the legal action commissioners took to block the special election.

“We were entitled to the referendum based on the Constitution,” he said. “The elected officials forgot they work for us. They are our servants and they need to listen to what the people want.”

[etudiant]

That seems unusually creative, dispose of a superfund site to the local government under the cover of: 'We're developing a spaceport'.
I have been puzzled as to why some people were so persistent in pushing this project despite the obvious community opposition, but perhaps the history of chemical work in the area would be enlightening.

[rdale]

It's dead.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-spaceport-land-deal-is-off-site-owner-says

[Comga]

It's dead.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-spaceport-land-deal-is-off-site-owner-says

“He’s dead, Jim!”
(How could you pass up that opportunity?)

[su27k]

Not entirely dead yet: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/georgia-county-files-suit-force-land-sale-spaceport-87562801

[rubicondsrv]

Not entirely dead yet: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/georgia-county-files-suit-force-land-sale-spaceport-87562801

This is very strange, why does the county want a spaceport with no apparent customers so badly? 
this particular spaceport project has been weird for quite some time, but this takes it to a new level of bizzare. 

[su27k]

Failure to launch: How a Georgia county spent seven years and millions of dollars to join the space race

[DeimosDream]

https://georgiarecorder.com/2022/07/06/georgia-supreme-courts-spaceport-case-pits-1st-amendment-vs-county-home-rule/

Follow up:

The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously rejected a legal challenge by Camden County commissioners who sought to have the referendum last March declared invalid.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/vote-block-georgia-spaceport-upheld-by-states-high-court/LIHJYZTL4FGM7JDODBTG43S6QQ/

Camden spaceport seems to now be not just dead, but dead and buried.

[rdale]

Buried and confirmed dead.

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/georgia-law-signed-by-gov-kemp-scraps-plans-spaceport-camden/3MHRMJKESBCBTMQZEGVGFUBE6U/

[TrevorMonty]

Good on local taxpayers for not wanting to own a White Elephant. Unfortunately for New Mexico they are stuck with theirs. Given money spent on it should be Gold Elephant.

[Mondagun]

https://georgiarecorder.com/2022/07/06/georgia-supreme-courts-spaceport-case-pits-1st-amendment-vs-county-home-rule/

Follow up:

The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously rejected a legal challenge by Camden County commissioners who sought to have the referendum last March declared invalid.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/vote-block-georgia-spaceport-upheld-by-states-high-court/LIHJYZTL4FGM7JDODBTG43S6QQ/

Camden spaceport seems to now be not just dead, but dead and buried.

I'm not always a fan of referendums myself, but trying to nullify the outcome of a referendum after the fact (no matter how low the turnout) seems like an excellent way to eventually turn your entire constituency against you.