Haley's Boeing claim lacks proof
Board sped Boeing work, she says
COLUMBIA ˾ֱ Gov. Nikki Haley said one of her appointees cleared the way for permits that allowed the Boeing Co. plant in South Carolina to open six months early, but neither the agency, the aircraft maker nor the state Commerce Department could provide proof for the governor˾ֱs claims.
At a town hall meeting in Rock Hill on Monday, Haley bragged about helping businesses since she took office in January.
She said she put in all new commissioners to oversee the Department of Health and Environmental Control, an agency whose duties include deciding whether construction projects meet state standards for permits tied to controlling pollution, hazardous materials and erosion.
˾ֱI wiped the entire slate clean and the person that is leading the DHEC board is the president of a construction company,˾ֱ Haley told the crowd of about 200. ˾ֱHe understands time is money. He understands that we have to move these permits quickly and that is why Boeing was six months ahead of schedule.˾ֱ
Boeing˾ֱs North Charleston aircraft assembly facility opened in June with a lot of fanfare ˾ֱ six months ahead of schedule. Haley was there, praising the project and looking forward to Boeing 787 Dreamliners rolling out. ˾ֱAnd we can˾ֱt wait to see those Mack Daddy planes come out of here,˾ֱ she said.
But there is no evidence that Haley˾ֱs DHEC board, including chairman Allen Amsler, who runs McCrory Construction Co. in Columbia, did anything to speed Boeing permits.
A DHEC spokesman said no one from the agency˾ֱs new board asked for quick action on permits related to Boeing.
˾ֱWe˾ֱve checked with staff today and nobody has had any contact with any current board member regarding Boeing˾ֱs permits,˾ֱ DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick wrote in an e-mail Tuesday.
Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey declined to document Amsler˾ֱs role. The governor appointed him to his new role in March. The Senate unanimously confirmed him on April 12, just two months before the Boeing ribbon cutting.
Amsler did not respond to interview requests.
After being asked for proof Amsler sped things along at Boeing, Godfrey said Haley met with company leaders after taking office in January and assured them her administration was business friendly. He said she ˾ֱappointed people who understand first hand that time is money, like (Commerce Secretary) Bobby Hitt and Allen Amsler.˾ֱ
The ˾ֱongoing relationship resulted in improved communications which resulted in less lost time and better coordination,˾ֱ Godfrey said. He noted permit modifications DHEC approved in April and July ˾ֱdid not result in any delays actually allowing the project to be completed early.˾ֱ