U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the settlement agreement between all parties involved in the mediation over the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) in an order that dismissed the federal litigation pending against the proposed deepening of the harbor channel. “We appreciate the patience and persistence of former Congressman Spratt and federal Magistrate Hendricks who worked throughout the mediation process ordered by Judge Gergel to bring this litigation to a successful conclusion,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. Parties to the mediation included the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Savannah Riverkeeper, the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, the U.S.