The Conservation League played a leading role in preventing the passage of omnibus energy legislation that would fast-track the development of a massive, multi-billion-dollar gas-fired power plant and undermine regulatory oversight of electric and gas utilities.
Put simply, this bill is bad for ratepayers. It’s bad for our land, waterways, and vulnerable communities, as well as for our transition to cleaner energy sources.
House Bill 5118 would also essentially direct the Public Service Commission–our state’s energy regulator–to approve a large gas-fired plant on the Edisto River in rural Colleton County near Canadys, which would also require a new pipeline to be constructed through the ACE Basin, one of the largest areas of undeveloped wetlands/uplands ecosystems remaining on the Atlantic Coast.
Bill H.5118 passed in the House in March, and in May, a significantly scaled back version was passed by the Senate. The House did not concur with the Senate amendments, and the bill was referred to a conference committee of senators and representatives to consider potential compromises.
The Conservation League team will continue to promote constructive reforms and minimize harmful provisions as the General Assembly continues its efforts to pass omnibus energy legislation in the next legislative session.