Georgia and South Carolina will spend $748,000 in the coming year to move forward with a proposed joint shipping terminal on the Savannah River, but local officials hungry for the jobs a new port would create complain the neighboring states are dragging their feet.

The board overseeing the $3.3 billion project approved just enough funding Monday for additional studies and consulting work in the coming fiscal year.

That's after an economic analysis concluded a shipping terminal based in Jasper County, S.C., downriver from Savannah would have a net value of $1.2 billion by 2040.

Jasper County officials say the numbers justify going ahead and seeking permits to build the terminal, which would cost about $2 million a year.

The board put that step off for at least a year.

Tags: Savannah River, GPBnews, Port of Savannah, Jasper County, orlando montoya, Jasper Ocean Terminal