Next Tuesday, October 29th, the Ravenel Town Council will hold a second reading and final vote on a rezoning request and development agreement that would densely place over 80 homes and septic tanks outside the Urban Growth Boundary, on the edges of preserved lands, and bordering critical salt marsh and tributaries that feed the Stono River. Tell…
This is the second entry in a two-part blog series. In the first part, we discussed reliability concerns surrounding fossil-fuel and the reliability benefits of renewable energy and battery storage. In this part, we turn our focus to climate change impacts and federal greenhouse gas policy. Hot & Cold: How Reliable are our Energy Sources through the seasons? The reliability failures South Carolina’s electric grid has experienced recently…
Job market anxieties have persisted in recent quarters, but amid market concerns, the clean energy sector emerged with stellar growth. Our country’s transition to a greener economy has created a demand surge for workers in construction, professional services, manufacturing, and other fields. This trend signals how sustainable solutions are a pathway to economic revitalization. In an annual nationwide report that was recently released, researchers found that South Carolina already had…
Are you getting ready for the holidays yet? It seems like every year, stores start rolling out decorations a little sooner. Personally, I like to get through Thanksgiving first. But in planning for critical infrastructure like reliable electric service, it’s important to make preparations well in advance. South Carolina Can Weather the Storm Unfortunately, Christmas Eve 2022 was not as merry as it should have been for millions of Americans. The festive…
We’re back! We are excited to restart our newsletter and look forward to providing you all with updates about what is going on in the agriculture and food scene as it relates to our work at GrowFood Carolina. The last year has been full…
One of the ways the Coastal Conservation League engages in energy issues is by intervening in electric utility rate cases. Because they are natural monopolies, investor-owned electric utilities must receive approval from the S.C. Public Service Commission of any changes to their rates. As formal intervenors, we work to ensure that ratepayers are not required to pay more than is fair and reasonable. Being an intervenor also gives us a valuable opportunity to…
Your electric bills could go way up next year under Santee Cooper’s proposed rate hike. We encourage you to speak out at the upcoming public hearings listed below. Santee Cooper has stated that residential customers will experience an 8.7% rate increase, but in its analysis, the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff determined that some customers could see a whopping 36% increase in their average bills throughout the…
We are creeping toward the end of summer; the season of afternoon storms, juicy John’s Island tomatoes, and time enjoying our beautiful beaches. This spring and summer, we’ve earned some major wins for our beaches. I’m excited to share that last month,
At the Coastal Conservation League, we are big supporters of responsibly sited solar farms. Unfortunately, we have recently heard a litany of myths from solar opponents, often related to conservation issues. Here are some solar truths to help set the record straight. Truth #1: Solar energy does not take up much land. Despite what you might hear, solar farms do…
As we make our way through the thick of summer in the lowcountry, we find ourselves reflecting back on this time just over a year ago, when we joined forces with St. Helena Island residents to uphold and reinforce the intent of the Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO), a zoning law written by and for the people of St. Helena Island to safeguard…
