Virginia's ports, particularly those of Hampton Roads, constitute one of the Commonwealth's most valuable assets. Virginia's ports are all within five hundred miles of nearly one-half of America's population. The Hampton Roads ports constitute one of the finest natural harbors in the world, located midway along the Atlantic seaboard just eighteen miles from the open sea. Hampton Roads covers an area of twenty-five square miles, with ample deep-water anchorage for vessels of nearly all sizes and classifications. Collectively, the ports of Hampton Roads rank first in the United States in volume of export cargo, and second in volume of total cargo tonnage handled.

About fifty-five percent of America's ocean-going exports of coal move through the ports of Hampton Roads, the largest coal-handling complex in the world. Nearly one person out of every six employed in the Commonwealth, more than three hundred fifty-six thousand two hundred sixty-four Virginians, depends directly or indirectly on Virginia's ports for his job. Latest figures show that Virginians working at the ports earn a total of three billion dollars yearly in wages and salaries. The ports generate, annually, approximately one hundred fifty million dollars in taxes paid to the Commonwealth.

Being aware of the tremendous importance of the ports of Hampton Roads to Virginia's economy, and being also concerned that the ports should be administered in the best interest of all the citizens of Virginia, the General Assembly, in its 1977 Session, adopted Senate Joint Resolution No. 129.

Senator Peter K. Babalas of Norfolk, a member of the VALC, was selected to chair a VALC Committee to undertake the study. Because of the comprehensive nature of the study contemplated in Senate Joint Resolution No. 129, a large Committee was approved by the VALC and was divided into five Subcommittees as follows: Port Funding Subcommittee: Edward E. Willey of Richmond (Chairman), W. Wright Harrison of Norfolk (Vice Chairman), Alan A. Diamonstein of Newport News, Gene Dixon, Jr. of Dillwyn, George C. Garris of Norfolk, Joseph A. Leafe of Norfolk, Richard D. Robertson of Staunton, Robert H. Spilman of Bassett, and George F. Walker of Bluefield; Port Unification Subcommittee: J. Warren White, Jr. of Norfolk (Chairman), Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk (Vice-chairman), Charles R. Chambers of  Portsmouth, W. L. Coker of Hopewell, J. William Doswell of Richmond, Donald R. King of Norfolk, Willard J. Moody of Portsmouth, and Russell I. Townsend, Jr. of Chesapeake; Port Terminal Operations Subcommittee: A. L. Philpott of Bassett (Chairman), L. Cleaves Manning of Portsmouth (Vice-chairman), Robert R. Ballard of Norfolk, Edward L. Brown, Sr. of Norfolk, Richard L. Counselman, Jr. of Norfolk, George H. Heilig, Jr. of Norfolk, Ernest Hines of Norfolk, T. Parker Host, Jr. of Newport News, Charles B. Keown of Portsmouth and T. A. Schuyler of Norfolk; VPA Organization Subcommittee: James M. Thomson of Alexandria (Chairman), Owen B. Pickett of Virginia Beach (Vice-chairman), Myles E. Billups, Sr. of Norfolk, Archibald A. Campbell of Wytheville, P. Hunter Cox of Chesapeake, Nicholas A. Durgom of Petersburg, Paul V. Fox of Norfolk, C. Hardaway Marks of Hopewell, and Gordon W. Spencer of Norfolk; and Port Costs and Port Competition Subcommittee: Hunter B. Andrews of Hampton (Chairman), George E. Allen, Jr. of Richmond (Vice-Chairman), George S. Aldhizer, II of Broadway, J. Harwood Cochrane of Richmond, Gordon L. Crenshaw of Richmond, Frederick Deane, Jr. of Richmond, John P. Fishwick of  Roanoke, Ivan L. Hauenstein of South Hill, Bernard Inge of Norfolk, John W. Parker of Virginia Beach, Thomas W. Rabeau of Norfolk, and Binford L. Snead of Virginia Beach. The Committee retained Blair P. Wakefield of Norfolk and Louis G. Paulson of Virginia Beach to act as consultants. Following an initial organizational meeting by the full study committee, the several subcommittees functioned independently with coordination being provided by the consultants and staff. The subcommittees held numerous public hearings, hearing from representatives of the Virginia Port Authority and from representatives of  concerned business organizations and also from many other interested individuals. Additionally, the subcommittees were furnished with substantial amounts of detailed data by the consultants.