The US Fish and Wildlife Commission had also expressed its opposition. On July 19, 2012, both the Democratic and Republican candidates vying for North Carolina governor in the November 2012 elections (with incumbent Gov. Perdue choosing not to seek reelection) declared their opposition to the megaport proposal. Walter Dalton (Dem) cited lack of support by federal and state lawmakers, and Governor-elect Pat McCrory (Rep) stated that "Questions of feasibility should have been asked before we wasted millions to buy the land and conduct studies" and further stated that he has long believed that the marketplace doesn't support a new port. Opponents of the megaport had expressed concerns for its environmental impact in this ecologically sensitive area; as well as local health and quality-of-life impacts associated with imposing major port traffic on this small residential coastal community (Southport, North Carolina). In addition, the proposed deeper dredging required to support post-Panamax containership vessels threatens shoreline integrity of Cape Fear coastal communities (Oak Island, North Carolina) and (Bald Head Island, North Carolina) as well as threatening the integrity of the fresh water aquifer (required for potable water throughout the region) that runs immediately below the existing Cape Fear River seaway and would be destroyed by seawater impingement if the specified dredging depths occurred. Consistent with other major port areas along the eastern seaboard, port opponents anticipated that residential property values in the affected lower Cape Fear would decrease substantially with the advent of a major port environment. The affected municipalities in the lower Cape Fear, as well as US Congressman Mike McIntyre, had also expressed safety and security concerns; since the proposed port site is located adjacent to both a nuclear power plant (Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station) and the world's largest weapons, ammunition, explosives and military equipment terminal (Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point). In a report prepared for the Pentagon by the Nuclear Proliferation  Prevention Project (NPPP) at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant near Southport is considered among the 11 most vulnerable because it further lacks protection against attack from the sea, and the proximity of a major international port would have served only to aggravate this vulnerability. Due to its remote location and absence of freeway and major rail services that are common to other existing container ports in the U.S., taxpayers would have been required to fund the expansive public works construction projects needed to deal with the high volume of truck and rail traffic into and out of the Southport area before securing any commitments by private investors (that the NCSPA had stated were necessary for the port proposal to proceed).