Legislation addresses DHEC’s actions & protects SC’s future interests
(Columbia, SC) – Today, the S.C. House of Representatives passed a bill (H. 4627) to protect our state’s waterways and environmental interests. The Legislation, approved by a 111 to 0 vote, reaffirmed and solidified an existing 2007 state law requiring the Governor’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Board to first gain the approval of the Savannah River Maritime Commission before it can take action on matters pertaining to the navigability, depth, dredging, sludge disposal and other collateral issues in regard to the Savannah River.
A retroactive measure, lawmakers sought this bill because of serious concerns over DHEC’s decision to bypass the Maritime Commission and ignore state law by unilaterally voting to reverse its earlier decision to deny dredging 36 miles of the Savannah River to a depth of 48 feet.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell issued this statement about the bill’s passage and DHEC’s vote:
“With one of every five jobs in our state directly tied to our ports, this is too important an economic issue to ignore. South Carolina is a state that thrives on free markets and fair competition. Put our ports on a level playing field with other states, and you’ll see our businesses and workers compete toe-to-toe with industry leaders around the globe.
“I’d like to thank Rep. Jim Merrill and all the other sponsors of this bill for their hard work to protect South Carolina’s natural resources and the competitive position of our state’s ports. Had DHEC simply followed the law this legislative measure would have been unnecessary.
“Many of us were deeply disappointed when DHEC voted to reverse its previous decision that denied a Savannah River dredging permit because of overwhelming evidence showing the irreversible environmental damage this would cause.
“Based solely on the merits of this case, DHEC was correct to deny this permit. But given the Board’s sudden reversal, the intentional bypassing of the Maritime Commission and state law, the irrefutable environmental damage and the uncompetitive disadvantage to our ports; this was a terrible decision by the DHEC Board.
“Not only has this placed Charleston’s port at a competitive disadvantage and jeopardized the very existence of a future port in Jasper, it may have also put our state’s taxpayers on the hook for paying a significant portion of Georgia’s port dredging.
“Because of DHEC’s reversal on dredging the Savannah River, South Carolina will be left with an expensive dredging project issued in violation of state law that will forever damage our river’s environment and put our state’s ports at a severe competitive disadvantage for years to come.”
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