Monday, April 1, 2024
It’s no secret that many of our beaches have taken a beating over the last handful of months. Increasingly intense and frequent storms have eroded some of the places you and I have the pleasure of enjoying, along with incredibly important seabird habitat like Deveaux Bank.
These weather events should not be a surprise to us and in fact, should be reason enough for our state leaders to support and continue creating thoughtful policies that…
Thursday, March 28, 2024
The S.C. Department of Transportation has submitted an application to fill in over 38 acres of wetlands to construct the I-526/Mark Clark Extension. You can find the full application here.
This is a greater wetland impact than was predicted in previous environmental assessments for the project, and it comes before Charleston County residents have had the opportunity to vote on whether they will approve a new sales tax to…
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Just four days after hearing your passionate testimony in front of a packed house, the Town of Ridgeland announced the cancellation of the public hearing scheduled for the evening of April 4. A regular Town Council meeting will now take place at Town Hall (check agendas here).
While this news signals a trend in the right direction and buys more time before a…
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
The Coastal Conservation League announced today it has filed a motion to intervene in an action filed by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (DHEC OCRM) against a beachfront property owner who knowingly violated state law by building an erosion control structure with non-beach compatible materials on the beachfront, blocking public access to the beach at high tide.
DHEC OCRM is seeking injunctive relief regarding the…
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
There are over 500 active mines in South Carolina, and sand is the most commonly extracted. Over 20% of the sand mines in the state are in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley Counties and Horry has 56, more than any other county.
Sand is a necessary resource used for manufacturing and development, but we don’t know the long-term and cumulative effects on our environment. Mining also has significant impacts on the communities surrounding…
Monday, March 25, 2024
Welcome to the March 2024 issue of the North Coast newsletter! We have been super busy in this new year and can’t believe it’s already spring. With spring comes the transition of seasons, new growth, and life. As a biologist, this has always been my favorite…
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Yesterday, on March 19, the Post & Courier reported that the Union Pier property is being sold to Charleston businessman Ben Navarro.
We are hopeful that this sale will be a positive development for the future of Union Pier and the City of Charleston. The Conservation League remains committed to ensuring that the new development will serve our city’s needs for resilient infrastructure and green open space.
We look forward to…
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Grand trees are a defining cultural feature of much of our coast, having characterized our communities for centuries, while providing countless benefits.
Trees build resilience in the face of climate change, increased urban development, and flooding. Mature ones provide shade with their extensive canopies that cool us and our homes on hot summer days. Their root systems stretch underground and soak up excess water from heavy rains and flooding events. Their strong…
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
We have great news to share today: the mine operating permit application for West Cox Ferry Road Sand Mine has been withdrawn. This is a win for the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge!Moss Park Partners II, LLC notified the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control that it is withdrawing its permit application, and there has been no indication that a new permit application will be submitted.
In light of this,…
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
In real-time, we are seeing a triple threat of existing septic tank pollution damaging coastal communities, the worsening of coastal flooding events due to sea level rise, and extreme weather events. In addition, large-scale developments that are dependent on conventional septic tank systems are being approved near sensitive areas.
In late 2022, the Conservation League and Charleston Waterkeeper, represented by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, filed an action in state court…
