Jul. 23—Union Carbide is withdrawing from a pending agreement to sell a 4,000-acre tract to Camden County that would have been a launch site approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for a proposed spaceport.

The company's decision was the result of a referendum in March where 72% of Camden County voters who showed up to the polls said they didn't want the county to spend any more money on the spaceport project after more than $11 million had already been spent.

The FAA approved a site operator's license earlier this year to allow for the construction of a commercial space launch site and offer the site to commercial operators for liquid-fueled, small-lift orbital and sub-orbital launch vehicles. But that license was contingent upon the county closing on the deal with Union Carbide.

In effect, the referendum prevented Camden County officials from closing on the deal to purchase the property.

"As a result, there is no longer an option agreement in existence between the county and UCC, and UCC does not intend to convey the property to the county pursuant to the prior option agreement," according to a statement, emailed to The Associated Press by Union Carbide spokesman Tomm Sprick.

Camden County Administrator Steve Howard maintains there is still a pending deal in an email to The News Friday.

The Georgia Supreme Court is expected to rule in August whether the special election in March was legal.

"As we have stated before, we do not believe the referendum was legally proper," Howard said. "We believe the Supreme Court will agree with the county."

Steve Weinkle, a longtime critic of the county's efforts to establish a spaceport, said the county is hoping for a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court to force Union Carbide to extend the contract to purchase the property.

"They've extended the contract several times," he said. "Union Carbide has been looking for a way out."

If approved there could have been as many as 12 launches, 12 static fire engine tests and 12 wet dress rehearsals of a small-lift class liquid propellant launch vehicle each year.

Opponents were concerned about the potential impacts in environmentally sensitive areas of surrounding wetlands and historic structures and to homes on Cumberland and Little Cumberland islands. There were also concerns about the money spent with no guarantee taxpayers would see a return on the investment.

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