Momentum to place Brunswick County back into the official count of the Wilmington metropolitan statistical area (MSA) appear to be taking flight, again.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) plans to introduce legislation Wednesday that would require the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to place Brunswick County back in the Wilmington MSA, according to a press release from Burr's office.

If passed, Brunswick County could be returned to the Wilmington MSA – where it would stay until Jan. 1, 2021, according to the bill.  

“Everybody in North Carolina knows that Brunswick County is part of the greater Wilmington area,” Burr said in the release. “Instead of mindlessly applying bureaucratic rules, the Administration needs to address what reality looks like for people in North Carolina.”

Burr could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Under the new MSA geography, the Wilmington metro area now consists of New Hanover and Pender counties.

Overall, the Wilmington MSA population estimate for 2013 was 268,601 residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau reports.

Burr and Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) have asked the OMB to reverse a February 2013 decision that removed Brunswick County from the Wilmington MSA to the Myrtle Beach MSA. But that request, like many others filed by cities that also saw changes, was not reversed.

Had Brunswick County -- the fastest-growing county in the state between July 2012 and July 2013 -- remained in Wilmington’s MSA statistical count, the region’s growth rate would have been even steeper at 2.22 percent with a 2013 population estimate of 383,902 people – a net gain of 8,352 residents from July 2012 to make metro Wilmington the fastest-growing MSA in the state.   
 
But instead, all of Brunswick County’s fast-growing population was added to Myrtle Beach MSA’s count.

Morgan Dendy, director of marketing and public relations for the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp., said local economic officials will stand by whatever decision is made regarding Brunswick County's metro placement between the states.

The South Carolina tourist mecca surpassed the 400,000-population threshold – its 2013 population estimate was 404,951 residents.

The Myrtle Beach MSA was the seventh-fastest growing metro area in the U.S., according to census data, clocking in with a 2.72 percent growth rate between July 2012 and July 2013.

Dendy said despite Brunswick County's placement, she hopes both entities can work for the economic betterment of the overall region -- regardless of state boundaries.

"We feel we should be working hand-in-hand," Dendy said. "We have a lot synergy when it comes to infrastructure and job recruitment with our focus on manufacturing; it's important that we work together." 

Jim Bradshaw, Brunswick County Economic Develoment Commission executive director, said he learned of Burr's bill Wednesday morning. He said any help to return Brunswick County to the Wilmington MSA is important to the county's economic endeavors.

"Any effort by the Senate or Congress to reinstate Brunswick County to the Wilmington MSA will enhance opportunities to diversify and improve our economy."

Connie Majure-Rhett, CEO and president of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

"We're so happy to see this effort being taken on by Sen. Burr," Majure-Rhett said. "We hope it will bring about change for the region."