Voters cast ballots on controversial Georgia spaceport

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia county's plan to build a rocket launch pad for sending satellites into space went before voters Tuesday in a referendum forced by opponents who fear the project poses safety and environmental risks that outweigh any economic benefits.

Camden County obtained a license to operate a commercial spaceport on the Georgia coast from the Federal Aviation Administration a few months ago after spending a decade and $10.3 million pursuing the project.

Before county officials could close on their purchase of 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) to build Spaceport Camden, a judge ordered that the land deal be put to a vote by county residents when opponents gathered more than 3,500 petition signatures calling for a special election.

Located on the Georgia-Florida line, Camden County has worked since 2012 toward building and operating the 13th licensed U.S. launch site for private rockets. Supporters say it's a chance for the county of 55,000 to join the commercial space race and also lure supporting industries and tourists.

“Launches at Spaceport Camden would bring thousands of visitors and offer millions of dollars in economic activity to our restaurants, hotels and businesses,” said Jimmy Starline, a spaceport supporter who's a former chairman of the county commission.

Others say the proposed launch site, an industrial plot formerly used to manufacture pesticides and munitions, poses potential environmental and safety hazards.

Critics, including the National Park Service, say rockets exploding soon after launch could rain fiery debris onto Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 private homes, and neighboring Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness visited by about 60,000 tourists each year.

Jim Goodman, a retired healthcare administrator...