Vote to block Georgia spaceport upheld by state’s high court

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia’s highest court has upheld an election in which residents of a coastal community voted to block their county government from building a launchpad for blasting commercial rockets into space. The Georgia Supreme Court’s ruling Tuesday unanimously rejected arguments by Camden County commissioners that the referendum last March was invalid. The court ruled that Georgia’s constitution “plainly grants” voters the power to call elections to repeal actions of county governments. Camden County has spent the past decade and more than $11 million seeking to build Spaceport Camden, arguing it would bring jobs and tourism. Critics fear the project would pose safety and environmental risks. Voters last March rejected the spaceport by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.