The second regular session of the 125th South Carolina General Assembly began on January 9 with lightning speed. Our team has been busy at the Statehouse advocating for renewable energy, clean water, land protection, and thoughtful management of our shoreline.
So far, during this legislative session, our staff have testified on several bills and regulations impacting the coast and quality of life in South Carolina, including energy and coastal management.
Building the Clean Energy Grid of the Future
Energy is a major focus this session with lawmakers seeking to find compromise between stakeholders on several issues including market reform, competitive procurement targets, energy efficiency, and reform of the Public Service Commission. Simultaneously, the General Assembly is working quickly to find solutions to meet anticipated electricity needs stemming from projected industrial growth.
Unfortunately for our environment and rural communities, one way that legislators and utilities would like to increase electric generation is by significantly expanding natural gas capacity across the state. A massive natural gas plant has been proposed at a former coal-fired power plant in Canadys along the Edisto River, bringing with it the potential for pipeline impacts through the ACE Basin or agricultural lands in Aiken County. The Conservation League will remain vehemently opposed to any legislation that would greenlight this project and potentially harm some of our state’s most significant natural resources.
Advocating for Thoughtful Coastal Management
After our staff served on the SC Beach Preservation Work Group in 2022, the Department of Health and Environmental Control drafted new regulations to support the state’s policy of beach preservation. The Conservation League is working with partners to support the passage of these regulations that provide clarity in how the state manages our beaches. As climate impacts intensify and become more frequent, it is essential that the state has clear and enforceable regulations that protect our beaches in a way that provides for continued public access and wildlife habitat, both of which are threatened by attempts to hard armor the coast with seawalls.
Until session adjourns on May 9, the Conservation League team will be hard at work supporting these measures and other issues including signage for permitted pollutant discharge, wetlands protections, annexation reform, and additional funding for conservation and state agencies.