Yesterday, Camp Lejeune officials announced that they could begin the due diligence process required to approve the easement requested as a component of Project Stoney. This due diligence may take up to six months to complete and includes completion of the NEPA process, as well as operational deconfliction (if necessary) and other legal hurdles. The Base officials remain optimistic of eventual approval, but cautious as there are several steps left in the approval process. Project Stoney has been in the works at JOED since 2011. It involves the recruitment of a new industry to Onslow County, and freight rail service via the USMC Railroad, which runs between Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point. The last hurdle left, to make the ten-year project a reality, has been this easement (granted by the Base) which will allow the company access to an industrial parcel via the USMC Railroad’s right of way.JOED Executive Director Mark Sutherland noted, “Commercial freight rail service has not been available in Onslow County for decades. When it comes to recruiting firms that require rail service, Onslow County is just not in the game with surrounding counties. This announcement represents a major addition to our economic development tool kit. It is certain to be one of the most important economic development news stories of the year for our community. Above all, Project Stoney is a resounding example of the adage: Economic Development is a Marathon, not a Sprint.”Our Board of Directors acknowledges the persistent help of our partners at Camp Lejeune, the staff at the City of Jacksonville, and Senator Tom Tillis and his staff. Without support from these folks, the project would not have survived.
Project Stoney has been in the works at JOED since 2011. It involves the recruitment of a new industry to Onslow County, and freight rail service via the USMC Railroad, which runs between Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point. The last hurdle left to clear to make the ten-year project a reality has been this easement (granted by the Base) which will allow the company access to an industrial parcel via the USMC Railroad’s right of way.
JOED Executive Director Mark Sutherland noted, “Commercial freight rail service is not available anywhere in Onslow County. When it comes to recruiting firms that require rail service, Onslow County has not been competitive. This announcement represents a major addition to our economic development tool kit. It is certain to be one of the most important economic development news stories of the year for our community. Above all, Project Stoney is a resounding example of the adage: Economic Development is a Marathon, not a Sprint.”
Our Board of Directors acknowledges the persistent help of our partners at Camp Lejeune, the staff at the City of Jacksonville, and Senator Tom Tillis and his staff. Without support from these folks, the project would not have survived.
