May 11 -15, 2009

Friday, May 15, 2009

Conservation Bank gets $2 Million! {action item}

The Conservation Bank received $2 million dollars plus operating expenses in the budget that has passed the Senate and the House! This critical funding will allow the Bank to live up to its obligations and maintain the relationships that have protected more than 152,000 acres since 2002. For every State dollar the Conservation Bank has received it has produced 6 dollars in land value by leveraging state dollars with local and federal funds. A 6:1 return on investment is impressive for any state funded program.

Please take the time to thank your Senators and Representatives for protecting this important conservation tool!

Senate Approves Building Codes Reform Legislation!

H.3550 by Representative Harry Cato (R-Greenville) and others that improves energy efficiency standards for new residential construction and renovations was given its third and final reading in the Senate this week! Now the bill is enrolled for ratification and on its way to the Governor’s desk soon. H.3550 deletes outdated energy standard language from our state law and establishes the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as the state energy standard for residential construction and renovations. The simple changes H.3550 accomplishes are estimated to cost about $600 for each new home, but the average annual energy savings is estimated to be $400, so the payback to consumers would be less than two years. Thanks to the support of a diverse group of more than fifty stakeholders including conservationists, green mortgage companies, realtors, developers, energy efficiency and building code associations, South Carolina will make great strides in energy efficiency beginning this summer. Thank you to our bill sponsors, committee chairmen in the House and Senate, and each of you who played a part in ensuring passage of this great bill! Your efforts made all of the difference.
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


Landfill Moratorium Dies in House Agriculture Subcommittee

This week, a House Agriculture Subcommittee chaired by Representative David Hiott (R-Pickens) adjourned debate on S.324, the landfill moratorium by Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington), effectively killing the bill for the year. As amended in the Senate, the landfill moratorium was to remain in effect until December 31, 2010, or until a taskforce convened by the Department of Health and Environmental could make recommendations for improving the excess capacity issue that has resulted in the proliferation of applications for “mega” landfills in South Carolina. The Landfill Capacity Task Force’s recommendations were presented and approved by the DHEC board in April, four months ahead of schedule. They reduce capacity from 42 million tons annually to 10.8 million tons annually, a monumental reduction that would not have happened without the Senate’s support of a statewide moratorium. House Agriculture Committee members cited the adoption of the new regulations as evidence that the moratorium was no longer needed.

While the new regulations are a vast improvement over the existing ones, the conservation community believes they are vulnerable to a legal challenge by the waste industry because they represent a substantive change to the pending regulations approved by the DHEC board in August that reduced capacity to 29 million tons. It could also be argued that DHEC did not follow Administrative Procedures Act guidelines in promulgating the change from 29 million tons to 10.8 million tons. The conservation community advocated for an amendment to the moratorium that would have reinstated it until new regulations could be properly promulgated in the event of a procedural challenge resulting in a return to the status quo of 42 million tons of annual capacity. This would have shut the door on mega landfills in South Carolina for good. Unfortunately, our efforts were blocked by the waste industry. Only time will tell whether these new regulations will withstand a challenge.

While there are only three legislative days left in 2009, we are in the first year of a two year session, which means that S.324 remains in the House Agriculture Committee. We have been reassured by Committee leadership that it can be brought back up next year in the event that the regulations are challenged and thrown out, opening South Carolina back up to “predatory dumping.”
Contact: Heather Spires

Great Annexation Reform Bill Approved by House Subcommittee

This week the House Special Laws Subcommittee Chaired by Representative Thad Viers (R-Horry) approved H.3253, a great annexation reform bill by Representative Bill Herbkersman (R-Beaufort) and others, after receiving comments from the bill’s primary sponsor and key stakeholders. Over the past three years of work on annexation reform, this is the first time a bill that includes all of the conservation community’s reform priorities has moved forward, so we want to thank the Special Laws Subcommittee for their leadership on this important land use issue! H.3253 would accomplish the following: redefine statutory standing for 75% and 100% annexation proposals in order to empower citizens and entities that could be negatively impacted by the proposals to challenge them; add public notice requirements for 100% annexation proposals to provide communities at least 30 days to review and react to annexation proposals and public hearings on these proposals are also included; require a ‘plan of services’ for all new annexations to be published at least 30 days prior to consideration of the proposal that would explain how a municipality would provide water, sewer, fire, police and ambulance services, for example, to the newly annexed; require annexations to be consistent and compatible with local comprehensive land use plans so county, municipal and regional plans that are costly to taxpayers to implement would not be undermined by new municipal annexations; and limit shoestring annexations of remote properties by requiring shared borders with an annexing municipality and that the proposed area to be annexed be urban.
H.3253 will be considered by the House Judiciary Committee in the 2010 legislative session, so Rep. Viers has charged all stakeholders to work over the summer and fall to reach consensus on the key provisions in the legislation. The other members of the Special Laws Subcommittee include Reps. Seth Whipper (D-Charleston), Vida Miller (D-Georgetown), Laurie Funderburk (D-Kershaw), and Mike Sottile (R-Charleston).
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Patrick Moore.

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Week of May 4 - 8, 2009

Friday, May 8, 2009

Conservation Bank {action item}

The final version of the budget from the Senate includes $2 million dollars for the Conservation Bank! This critical funding will allow the Bank to live up to its obligations and maintain the relationships that have protected more than 152,000 acres since 2002. For every State dollar the Conservation Bank has received it has produced 6 dollars in land value by leveraging state dollars with local and federal funds. A 6:1 return on investment is impressive for any state funded program. Please take the time to thank Senator Leatherman, Senator Courson, Senator McGill, and Senator Campsen, for their dedication to protecting our most valuable woodlands, rural landscapes, and historic places for our kids and grandkids. Please also contact your Representatives and ask them to protect Bank funding as the budget is reviewed!

Senate LCI Committee Approves Building Codes Reform Legislation! {action item}

H.3550 by Representative Cato and others that aims to improve energy efficiency standards for new residential construction and renovations was approved this week by the Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry (LCI) Subcommittee Chaired by Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) and then the LCI Committee Chaired by Senator Greg Ryberg (R-Aiken). Next week the Senate will consider the bill as early as Tuesday, May 12th. H.3550 aims to delete outdated energy standards for residential construction from the South Carolina code and establish the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as the state energy standard for residential construction and renovations. This would be a huge leap in efficiency standards for our state!!! This simple change in law is estimated to cost about $600 for each new home, but the average annual energy savings is estimated at $400, so the payback to consumers is less than two years. Help us ensure passage of this important bill this year by clicking here and writing your Senator. Only two more weeks remain in this year's legislative session!
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

Stop Wasting South Carolina! {action item}

This week, a legislative committee took steps to approve a change in the Department of Health and Environmental Control's Landfill Demonstration of Need regulation that will reduce allowable annual landfill capacity from 42 million tons to 10.8 million tons. This capacity reduction, based on the recommendations of the DHEC board's Landfill Capacity Task Force, is a vast improvement over the current regulations.

However, we will still be asking the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee to support S.324, the landfill moratorium, at a subcommittee hearing scheduled for Wednesday, May 13th at 8:00 a.m. There are many variables surrounding when the new regulations will take effect, and a moratorium must be in place until they are permanent. Please click here to urge members of the House Agriculture Committee to support the landfill moratorium.
Contact: Heather Spires

Protecting South Carolina's Water Resources {action item}

A bill to regulate the amount of water withdrawn from South Carolina's rivers, lakes and streams, S.452 by Senator Paul Campbell, passed out of subcommittee and was sent to the full Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee for consideration. We expect the Committee to take it up at a meeting before session ends on May 21, 2009. Please click here to urge the Senate Agriculture Committee to support amendments that will make S.452 good for the environment and good for business.

S.452 was amended in subcommittee to require a seasonally variable minimum instream flow standard that mimics the natural flow of a river, protecting the fish and wildlife, recreational uses and downstream users that depend on seasonal fluctuation. Although this is a big step in the right direction, there are still some concerns that must be addressed before the conservation community can support the bill.

1) The Department of Natural Resources, the agency charged with protecting South Carolina's natural resources, must be given standing in decisions relating to the negative impact of withdrawals on our state's surface waters.
2) S.452 allows existing withdrawers to receive a water withdrawal permit for their current or projected level of use. S.452 establishes permit lengths of 20, 30 or 50 years depending on the withdrawer. S.452 also requires the state to issue the renewal permit for these existing withdrawers at or above the initial permit level. In other words, existing users would be grandfathered in perpetuity. A responsible permitting program will allow for the modification of grandfathered users' permitted withdrawal amounts during the permit renewal process. If S.452 does not allow for withdrawal amounts to be either increased or decreased to meet future needs, we are creating a water right and doing more harm than good by implementing a permitting program.
3) S. 452 exempts from the permitting process withdrawers who return 90% or more of their water withdrawals to the surface water. Some of the largest industrial water users in the state would be exempt from the permitting process if S. 452 is not amended. Whether it's 1% or 10%, if water is not being returned to the source, it is being consumed. Although the amount of water being returned to the source should be taken into consideration, all water users who withdraw above 3 million gallons a month should be required to obtain a permit regardless of how much water is returned.
4) As written, S.452 would require DHEC to automatically issue permits to "owner/operators" of FERC licensed impoundments for additional withdrawals, essentially giving the owner/operators ownership of the excess water in the impoundment and allowing, in extreme cases, piping it to NC, bottling it, or evaporating it in a power plant. The water in impoundments does not belong to owner/operators, it belongs to the people of South Carolina. A permitting program should reflect this notion.

The conservation community will be unable to support S.452 until these concerns are addressed. An irresponsible water withdrawal permitting program would be worse than nothing at all..
Contact: Heather Spires

Senate Gives Final Approval to an Important Energy Bill

S.232, a bill by Senator Ryberg (R-Aiken), Hutto (D-Orangeburg), and Massey (R-Aiken) relating to the State Energy Plan and state agency requirements to conserve energy, water, and wastewater was given final approval this week. Next week, the bill will head to Governor for his consideration. S.232 is its final form requires the State's Energy Policy to encourage the development and use of clean energy resources which includes nuclear energy, energy conservation and efficiency, as well as indigenous, renewable energy resources. Also, any future State energy strategy that promotes carbon-free, non-greenhouse gas emitting sources must include nuclear energy, renewable resources, and energy conservation and efficiency. The definition of 'renewable energy resources' is amended to include energy conservation and efficiency, solar photovoltaic energy, solar thermal energy, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, tidal energy, wave energy, recycling, hydrogen fuel derived from renewable resources, biomass energy, energy derived from municipal and other solid waste, energy derived from waste oil, energy derived from waste tires, and landfill gas. The annual state energy action plan that the State Energy Office currently submits to the Governor's Office will also be submitted to the Public Utility Review Committee, the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, and the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources for their review. Finally, S.232 requires that each state agency to consider reductions of its energy, water, and wastewater use and implement recommended conservation measures to the degree the agency determines that the measures are cost effective. In order to determine what those energy, water, and wastewater savings would be, an audit must be performed by internal or external auditors, or by an energy services company.
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

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Week of April 27 - May 1, 2009

Monday, May 4, 2009

Conservation Bank {action item}

The final version of the budget from the Senate includes $2 million dollars for the Conservation Bank! This critical funding will allow the Bank to live up to its obligations and maintain the relationships that have protected more than 152,000 acres since 2002. For every State dollar the Conservation Bank has received it has produced 6 dollars in land value by leveraging state dollars with local and federal funds. A 6:1 return on investment is impressive for any state funded program. Please take the time to thank Senator Leatherman, Senator Courson, Senator McGill, and Senator Campsen, for their dedication to protecting our most valuable woodlands, rural landscapes, and historic places for our kids and grandkids. Please also contact your Representatives and ask them to protect Bank funding as the budget is reviewed!

Annexation Reform {action item}

Last Thursday, the House Special Laws Subcommittee received testimony on H.3253, a great annexation reform bill by Representative Bill Herbkersman and others. Patrick Moore of the Coastal Conservation League outlined the provisions of the bill and the need for comprehensive reforms to our state's outdated annexation laws. Representatives of the SC Home Builders Association and SC Municipal Association also commented on H.3253, but because testimony was cut short, a second meeting will be held when the House returns to Columbia on Tuesday, May 12^th. H.3253 includes the conservation community's reform priorities to current law that promotes unplanned development, undermines countywide land use planning, burdens taxpayers because of inefficient service delivery. Click here to show your support for H.3253, by writing your Representative, Senator and members of the House Judiciary Committee. Members of the Special Laws Subcommittee Chaired by Thad Viers (R-Horry) are Reps. Seth Whipper (D-Charleston), Vida Miller (D-Georgetown), Laurie Funderburk (D-Kershaw), and Mike Sottile (R-Charleston).
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Patrick Moore

Building Codes {action item}

H.3550 by Representative Cato and others was approved this week by the House of Representatives!!! Now the bill has been referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee (LCI). H.3550 aims to delete outdated energy standards for residential construction from the South Carolina code and establish the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as the state energy standard for residential construction and renovations. This would be a huge leap in efficiency standards for our state!!! This simple change in law is estimated to cost about $600, but the average annual energy savings are $400, so the payback to consumers is less than two years. Help us ensure passage of this important bill before the end of the 2009 legislative session by clicking here and writing your Senator and members of the Senate LCI Committee today! Only nine legislative days remain to consider H.3550, so please act this week.
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

Energy Efficiency

S.9 by Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) and others, which would require state government agencies to establish modest energy efficiency and renewable energy goals and consider reductions of water and wastewater, was recommitted to the House Agriculture Committee this week for further consideration. Since the bill still needed to be 'cleaned up' to ensure it would not conflict with existing law relating to energy efficiency goals for state agencies, schools, and universities, and since members were proposing new amendments to the bill on the House floor, Representative Jeff Duncan (R-Laurens) referred the bill back to the Agriculture Committee. The House will not be in statewide session the week of May 4^th, so only six legislative days remain to ensure passage of S.9 this year. We'll keep advocating for passage of this bill this year since S.9 includes many important provisions that could increase the use of renewable energy statewide and encourage energy, water, and wastewater efficiency and conservation.
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

State Energy Efficiency Plan Revised

S.232, a bill by Senator Ryberg (R-Aiken), Hutto (D-Orangeburg), and Massey (R-Aiken) that amends the definition of renewable energy resources and ensures that any future energy strategy that promotes carbon-free, non-greenhouse gas emitting sources includes nuclear energy, renewable energy resources, and energy conservation and efficiency was approved by the House of Representatives this week, only after amending it one more time. Language from S.9 that would require state agencies to consider reductions of their energy, water, and wastewater use, and implement recommended conservation measures to the degree each agency determines that the measures are cost effective was added to S.232 during the House debate on this bill. Then the bill was sent to the Senate for its consideration. We'll encourage the Senate to adopt the bill as it was amended in the House to ensure passage of the bill this year. S.232 could be considered any day the Senate is in statewide session.
Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


Sixth Annual Lobby Day a Success!

More than 100 conservation advocates gathered in Columbia last Tuesday to hear from 5 2010 gubernatorial prospects and lobby the legislature. After hearing from Attorney General Henry McMaster, Senator Vincent Sheheen, and Representative Harry Ott, participants learned lobbying 101 and heard issue updates from S.C. Department of Natural Resources Director John Frampton, Marvin Davant, and Lucy Mills Parsons. The group headed to the State House to lobby on the fair share water withdrawal legislation, Conservation Bank funding, energy efficient building codes, and the landfill moratorium

After lunch, we heard from Dr. Brent Nelson and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer speak on the conservation vision for South Carolina. The day ended with the annual oyster roast. We celebrated the passage of the Farm to School Act and enjoyed local food and oysters while listening to great live music by Purple Mermaid.

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Week of April 19 - 24, 2009

Friday, April 14, 2009

Annexation Reform Bill Set for a Public Hearing {action item}

Next Thursday, the House Special Laws Subcommittee will receive testimony onH.3253, a great annexation reform bill by Representative Bill Herbkersman and Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort), Curtis Brantley (D-Jasper), Bill Sandifer (R-Oconee), and Mike Sottile (R-Charleston). H.3253 includes all of the conservation community's reform priorities to our state's outdated annexation laws that promote unplanned development, allow local countywide land use plans to be undermined, and place an undue burden on communities. Click here to show your support for H.3253, by writing your representatives and members of the Committee. Members of the Special Laws Subcommittee Chaired by Thad Viers (R-Horry) are Reps. Seth Whipper (D-Charleston), Vida Miller (D-Georgetown), Laurie Funderburk (D-Kershaw), and Mike Sottile (R-Charleston).

Contact: Patty Pierce and Patrick Moore


Building Codes Reform Approved by House Committee {action item}

H.3550 by Representative Cato and others was approved this week by the House Labor Commerce and Industry Committee and placed on the House Calendar. Next week's vote by the full House on Tuesday, April 28th is key to ensuring passage of the legislation this year. H.3550 will remove outdated energy standards for residential construction from the South Carolina code and establish the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code as the state energy standard for residential construction. This is a huge leap in efficiency standards for our state!!! The changes are estimated to only cost consumers $600, but the energy savings are $400 annually, so the payback to the consumer is less than two years. Moreover, the energy savings continue well into the future. If you haven't shown your support for this important energy efficiency bill, please do so now by writing your state representatives and ask them to support H.3550! Click here to send a quick note.

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


State Government Leads by Example on Energy Efficiency and Renewables

This week the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Committee approved S.9 with amendments, a bill by Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) and others to require state government agencies to establish modest energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. The bill would also require state agencies to consider reductions of their energy, water, and wastewater use, and implement recommended conservation measures to the degree each agency determines that the measures are cost effective. An audit could be performed by internal or external auditors, or by an energy services company. Agencies would be required to comply by July 1, 2011. S.9 in its amended form will be considered by the House on Tuesday, April 28th.

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


State Energy Efficiency Plan Revised

S.232, a bill by Senator Ryberg (R-Aiken), Hutto (D-Orangeburg), and Massey (R-Aiken) that amends the Energy Efficiency Chapter of Title 48 as it relates to the state energy plan and the definition of renewable energy resources was approved this week by the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Committee. The State Energy Office will now be required to ensure that any future energy strategy that promotes carbon-free, non-greenhouse gas emitting sources includes nuclear energy, renewable energy resources, and energy conservation and efficiency. The House will vote to approve S.232 on Tuesday, April 28th. Only two more readings next week will ensure this bill is finally law!

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


Solar and Other Renewables Bill To Receive a Hearing in May! {action item} 

H.3628 by Representative Joan Brady (R-Columbia) and 14 other conservation minded legislators is set to be discussed by a House, Labor, Commerce, and Industry Subcommittee meeting in May. The bill has three simple goals: to authorize utilities to pursue renewable energy projects up to 100 megawatts and to recover their costs as deemed appropriate by the Public Utilities Commission; to encourage the investment in the research, development and demonstration of home-grown renewable energy projects through the reinstatement of the SC Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Development Fund; and to provide homeowners and businesses the freedom to install solar energy technologies on their homes and businesses. If you haven't taken the time to show your support for this important legislation, please do so now by clicking here!!! 

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

The "Un"Fair Share Water Bill {action item}

The Senate Agriculture subcommittee chaired by Senator Paul Campbell approved S.452 this week with an amendment that includes a seasonally variable minimum instream flow. However, there are still some subcommittee members who have concerns with the bill, so it was passed out of subcommittee with an agreement that if these concerns are not addressed at full committee, the bill will not move to the Senate floor. 

In addition to concerns over minimum instream flow, the following items must be addressed before the conservation community will be able to support S.452:

Grandfathering in perpetuity: If Section 49-4-120 (C)(1) is not removed, we are creating only the appearance of a management program that does not allow for modifications necessary to address recurrent drought, or changes in flow patterns in our rivers and streams. A grandfathered users' previously permitted withdrawal amount needs to be subject to modification, whether increasing or reducing withdrawals, through the renewal process.

Defining water users and uses: All water users who withdraw above 3 million gallons a month should be required to obtain a permit regardless of how much water is returned to the source. The sections (20-12 and 15) that attempt to exempt users who return 90% of the water should be revised. A withdrawer that consumes 10% of its withdrawals is a consumptive user. As written, thermoelectric power users would be exempted from the permitting process even though they are one of the largest industrial water users in the state.

Clarifying ownership of excess water in impoundments: To protect downstream users and drinking water supplies, impoundment owners/operators should not be allowed to withdraw excess water from impoundments unless they are permitted by DHEC. As written, Section 45 would require DHEC to automatically issue permits to "owner/operators" of FERC licensed impoundments for additional withdrawals, essentially giving the owner/operators ownership of the excess water in the impoundment and allowing, in extreme cases, piping it to NC, bottling it, or evaporating it in a power plant. 

Until these concerns are addressed, S.452 continues to be bad for the environment, bad for negotiations with neighboring states, and is at odds with the good Fair Share Water bill (S.275) introduced by Senator Wes Hayes. 

News Coverage:
The State: "Protect our water," 
The Post & Courier: "Protect the state's rivers" 

Contact: Heather Spires

Stop wasting SC! Urge the House Agriculture Committee to support the landfill moratorium! {action item}

The House Agriculture Environmental Affairs 1 subcommittee will hold a hearing on S.324, the joint resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on permits for landfills, on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009. Write members of the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee to thank them for giving the joint resolution a hearing and urge them to support this joint resolution.

Landfill Facts:

• In 2007, South Carolinians produced 4.6 million tons of solid waste destined for S.C. landfills.
• There are 18 fully operational Class III (municipal solid waste) landfills in South Carolina, with a 19th nearly permitted.
• The permitted annual capacity of these 18 landfills is 9.9 million tons, and an additional net 3.5 million tons of capacity could be added if the proposed Williamsburg and Marlboro County double its needed capacity, and could soon have more than three times its needed capacity. landfills were built. This means the State already has more than
• In 2007, 28% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in South Carolina was imported from out of state. This amount has increased steadily as statewide capacity has increased over time. This is a clear market signal that South Carolina has far more capacity than it currently needs.
• The SCDHEC Board recognized in August, 2008 that the state's Determination of Need Regulation (61-107.17) is not fulfilling the intent of Title 44. The Board also recognized that the DON changes proposed this legislative session do not adequately address the problems. Therefore, the Board directed DHEC staff to set up a Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to review the capacity issues generated by the regulation. This taskforce is directed to report findings by August 2009.

Contact: Heather Spires

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Week of April 13 - 17, 2009

Friday, April 17, 2009


Help make annexation reform a priority {action item}

On the first day of the legislative session, Representatives Bill Herbkersman, Shannon Erickson, Curtis Brantley, Bill Sandifer, and Mike Sottile introduced a great annexation reform bill that includes all of the conservation community’s legislative reforms to our outdated annexation laws. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee’s Special Laws Subcommittee, but the bill has yet to be heard. Members of the Subcommittee are Representatives Thad Viers (Chairman), Seth Whipper, Vida Miller, Laurie Funderburk, and Mike Sottile. To ensure H.3253 moves forward this year, please write your legislators and members of the House Judiciary Committee and ask them to support passage of H.3253 and to place this bill on a subcommittee agenda soon. Click here to link to the Coastal Conservation League’s website where you can write a letter using the talking points provided or craft a letter of your own about the need to reform South Carolina’s outdated annexation laws. Our current laws promote unplanned development, allow local countywide land use plans to be undermined , and ultimately place an undue burden on taxpayers.

Contact: Patty Pierce and Patrick Moore


The "Un"Fair Share Water Bill {action item}

Senators worked this week to build consensus on an amendment to S.452 that would use the Department of Natural Resource’s seasonally variable flows as the minimum instream flow for the state’s rivers and streams. Although they were close to an agreement, senators were unable to reach consensus in time for Tuesday’s Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee meeting, so members voted to carry the bill over. The subcommittee will meet again on Tuesday, April 21st at 9:00 a.m. Please take a moment to write subcommittee members in support of the proposed amendment that establishes a seasonally variable minimum instream flow.

In its current form, S.452 by Senator Paul Campbell, places future industries’ rights to water above the public’s right to water. Specifically, provisions that allocate the vast majority of water in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams to existing and future industries and allow them to be drawn down to near drought-level conditions must be changed.

S.452 is bad for the environment, bad for negotiations with neighboring states, and is at odds with the good Fair Share Water bill (S.275) introduced by Senator Wes Hayes. Please click here to urge subcommittee members to oppose S.452 as written and support amendments that will protect our rivers and streams and foster responsible economic development.

S.452 gives higher consideration to future industries than to the people who live here now.

S.452 establishes a one-size-fits-all minimum flow policy for the state that would allow rivers and streams to be drawn down to near drought level flows (20% MAF). Big business and industry believe that year-round drought level flows are “adequate” for the health of our rivers and for the public’s use.

As written, S.452 would exempt some of the state’s largest water consumers from the permitting process. The bill also creates a regulatory process that favors upstream users over downstream users. There are only a few users who aren’t downstream of others.

S.452 is bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina: By adopting the “low flow” requirements noted above, South Carolina would be conceding that it needs nothing more than drought level flows, leaving everything else on the table for our neighbors to claim.

Contact: Heather Spires


Stop wasting SC! Ask House Agriculture Committee to give landfill moratorium a hearing! {action item}

The Senate has done its job and passed S.324, the joint resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on permits for landfills. Now it’s time for the House to demonstrate leadership on the issue. The House is returning from a two-week break on Tuesday, and the landfill moratorium is not on a subcommittee agenda. Write members of the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee and encourage them to give this joint resolution a hearing. S.324 has to make it through the House by May in order for it to take effect this year.

Landfill Facts:

• In 2007, South Carolinians produced 4.6 million tons of solid waste destined for S.C. landfills.
• There are 18 fully operational Class III (municipal solid waste) landfills in South Carolina, with a 19th nearly permitted.
• The permitted annual capacity of these 18 landfills is 9.9 million tons, and an additional net 3.5 million tons of capacity could be added if the proposed Williamsburg and Marlboro County double its needed capacity, and could soon have more than three times its needed capacity. landfills were built. This means the State already has more than
• In 2007, 28% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in South Carolina was imported from out of state. This amount has increased steadily as statewide capacity has increased over time. This is a clear market signal that South Carolina has far more capacity than it currently needs.
• The SCDHEC Board recognized in August, 2008 that the state’s Determination of Need Regulation (61-107.17) is not fulfilling the intent of Title 44. The Board also recognized that the DON changes proposed this legislative session do not adequately address the problems. Therefore, the Board directed DHEC staff to set up a Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to review the capacity issues generated by the regulation. This taskforce is directed to report findings by August 2009.

Contact: Heather Spires


Energy Efficiency for Residential Construction

Senator Glenn F. McConnell and Robert Ford introduced S.719, a great compromise building codes reform bill that is supported by a diverse group of conservation, business, builder, realtor, mortgage lender, and energy efficiency advocates. The bill has been referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee for its review. While the conservation community hoped to not only remove the outdated energy building standards from the code and insert an automatic update to the most up-to-date energy efficiency standards that are adopted by the SC Building Codes Council every three years, we are elated to have reached a compromise with all of the stakeholders to remove the outdated language and to establish the 2006 International Energy Efficiency Code this year. This simple change will go a long way to make our State’s residential construction and renovations save energy and electricity!

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore


Building Codes Reform Moves Forward {action item}

H.3550 by Representative Cato and others is moving forward. The companion bill to S.719, by Senators McConnell and Ford, was approved by a House Labor Commerce and Industry Subcommittee several weeks ago, and next week the full LCI Committee will consider the bill and the compromise reached among stakeholders. We anticipate the Committee will act favorably on the bill, but just in case you have not written your legislators and members of the Committee, click here and do so now. We need all the support we can garner to ensure this great energy efficiency bill will be approved this year.

Contact: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

Senate Considers Budget, Conservation Bank This Week {action item}

The Senate will consider the Finance Committee's budget next week. The Committee has included operational funding for the Conservation Bank in its budget. The Senate must approve this operational funding if the Bank is to remain in existence. The Conservation Bank has produced $6 in land value for every $1 it has received and has protected more than 152,000 acres at a price of $534 per acre in South Carolina. Please write and call your Senators and ask them to support funding for the Bank and its administrative costs.

Contact: Patrick Moore

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Week of March 30 - April 3, 2009

Friday, April 3, 2009


Taxpayer Protection {action item}

H.3253 by Representatives Herbkersman, Erickson, Brantley, Sandifer and Sottile would reform our state’s outdated annexation laws. The bill expands statutory standing, improves public notice requirements for all annexation proposals, requires a plan of services to ensure cities can pay for the new services and infrastructure to support new annexation proposals, requires consistency with countywide comprehensive plans, and limits shoestring annexations of remote properties by requiring shared borders with an annexing municipality and that the proposed area to be annexed be urban. H.3253 has been referred to the House Special Laws Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. The bill is expected to be considered by the House Subcommittee in late April. Click here to write you Representative and Senator as well as members of the Judiciary Committee on this important bill.

Contact: Patrick Moore and Patty Pierce


The "Un"Fair Share Water Bill {action item}

A Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee chaired by Senator Paul Campbell debated S.452 this week, but due to time constraints the bill was carried over until the subcommittee’s next meeting on April 14th at 9:00AM. Subcommittee members are committed to meeting as long as necessary that morning to try and reach agreement on a bill that can be supported by all stakeholders and sent to the full Agriculture Committee on April 15th. If a water withdrawal bill is not reported out of the full committee on April 15th, a bill will not make it to the Senate floor this year in time to be sent to the House for consideration.

We are working to build support for several amendments that will improve S.452. The industry-friendly bill, by Senator Campbell, places future industries’ rights to water above the public’s right to water. Specifically, provisions that allocate the vast majority of water in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams to existing and future industries and allow them to be drawn down to near drought-level conditions must be changed. Supporters of Campbell’s bill feel that existing and future industries should be given special treatment and permit rights to use the majority of the public’s water in return for agreeing to participate in a new regulatory program.

S.425 is bad for the environment, bad for negotiations with neighboring states, and is at odds with the good Fair Share Water bill (S.275) introduced by Senator Wes Hayes. Please click here to urge subcommittee members to oppose S.452 as written and support amendments that will protect our rivers and streams and foster responsible economic development.

S.452 gives higher consideration to future industries than to the people who live here now.

S.452 establishes a one-size-fits-all minimum flow policy for the state that would allow rivers and streams to be drawn down to near drought level flows (20% MAF). Big business and industry believe that year-round drought level flows are “adequate” for the health of our rivers and for the public’s use.

As written, S.452 would exempt some of the state’s largest water consumers from the permitting process. The bill also creates a regulatory process that favors upstream users over downstream users. There are only a few users who aren’t downstream of others.

S.452 is bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina: By adopting the “low flow” requirements noted above, South Carolina would be conceding that it needs nothing more than drought level flows, leaving everything else on the table for our neighbors to claim.

News Coverage:

• The State, “Water bill crucial to court fight with NC,” by Bob Waldrep
  
• Post & Courier, “Protect our state’s rivers”
  

Contact: Heather Spires


Senate Votes to Stop Wasting SC!

Letters and phone calls from concerned citizens turned the tide in the Senate this week and moved S.324, a joint resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on permits for landfills, from the contested calendar to the floor for a vote. The resolution passed the Senate unanimously on Wednesday and was introduced in the House on Thursday where it was sent to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee for consideration. The resolution, by Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) and others, applies to new and expanded Class III “megadumps.” Existing municipal landfills looking to expand and construction and debris landfills will be exempt. Please take a moment to thank your Senator for supporting S.324.

We’re halfway there, but we’ve still got to move the resolution through the House by May in order for it to take effect this year. Please take a moment to write members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in support of S.324.

New Coverage:

• Florence Morning News, “South Carolina needs to limit waste from other states”
• The State, “Predatory dumping hazardous to our economy” by Senator Tom Davis
• The State, “Panel votes to stop dumps”
• Post & Courier, “Landfill Moratorium Advances”

Landfill Facts:

• In 2007, South Carolinians produced 4.6 million tons of solid waste destined for S.C. landfills.
• There are 18 fully operational Class III (municipal solid waste) landfills in South Carolina, with a 19th nearly permitted.
• The permitted annual capacity of these 18 landfills is 9.9 million tons, and an additional net 3.5 million tons of capacity could be added if the proposed Williamsburg and Marlboro County double its needed capacity, and could soon have more than three times its needed capacity. landfills were built. This means the State already has more than
• In 2007, 28% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in South Carolina was imported from out of state. This amount has increased steadily as statewide capacity has increased over time. This is a clear market signal that South Carolina has far more capacity than it currently needs.
• The SCDHEC Board recognized in August, 2008 that the state’s Determination of Need Regulation (61-107.17) is not fulfilling the intent of Title 44. The Board also recognized that the DON changes proposed this legislative session do not adequately address the problems. Therefore, the Board directed DHEC staff to set up a Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to review the capacity issues generated by the regulation. This taskforce is directed to report findings by August 2009.

Contact: Heather Spires


Energy Standard Act

Representative Harry Cato’s (R-Greenville) Energy Standard Act, H.3550, that aims to establish a new energy standard for residential construction was approved this week by the House Real Estate Subcommittee of the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. The Subcommittee Chaired by Representative Jimmy Bales (R-Richland) adopted an amendment prior to approving the bill that removed the outdated prescriptive energy provisions in our South Carolina code and added language to make the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code for new residential construction and renovations our new energy standard. This simple change in law could help our state achieve 7% electricity savings and 5% natural gas savings by 2020. The estimated costs for the change are approximately $600, but the energy savings are more than $400 annually, so a homeowner could expect to be paid back for his investment in less than two years. The amended version of H.3550 is expected to be reviewed by the Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee at its next meeting during the week of April 20th. We’ll work to ensure the Committee supports the provisions of the bill to ensure this legislation moves forward this legislative session.

Contact: Ben Moore and Patty Pierce


Nuclear Reprocessing Amendment Defeated

This week the Senate debated S.232, a bill by Senator Ryberg and others relating to the definition of the renewable energy and the state energy plan, and defeated in a vote of 23-20 Senator Greg Ryberg’s (R-Aiken) amendment that would have added nuclear fuel reprocessing to the state’s energy plan. We want to thank Senator Phil Leventis (D-Sumter) for his leadership and tireless efforts to defeat the Ryberg amendment. After the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee amendment was adopted, S.232 was further amended to require the State Energy Office to submit its annual state energy action plan to the Public Utility Review Committee, the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. This annual report includes activities by the State Energy Office to carry out the Plan for State Energy Policy, recommendations for long-term quantitative and qualitative energy goals for the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, governmental, and utility sectors, and measures of progress for these goals, an outline of the obstacles to efficiency for which legislative, regulatory, or other governmental remedies are appropriate. S.232 was adopted as amended by the Senate and forwarded to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee for its review.
Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

Contact: Ben Moore and Patty Pierce

Senate Finance Committee Considers Conservation Bank This Week {action item}

The Senate Finance Committee will consider funding for the Conservation Bank this week. Funding for the continued existence of the Conservation Bank, a State program that has produced $6 in land value for every $1 it has received, is in serious jeopardy. The Bank has protected more than 152,000 acres at a price of $534 per acre in South Carolina and without funding this year, could cease to exist. Please write and call your Senators and ask them to support funding for the Bank or its administrative costs.

Contact: Patrick Moore

Read more...

Week of March 23-27, 2009

Friday, March 27, 2009

The “Un”Fair Share Water Bill {action item}

A Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee chaired by Senator Paul Campbell heard testimony on S.452 this week. The industry-friendly bill, by Senator Campbell, places future industries’ rights to water above the public’s right to water. His bill is bad for the environment, bad for negotiations with neighboring states, and is at odds with the good Fair Share Water bill (S.275) introduced by Senator Wes Hayes. Watch the video to learn about why we need good legislation and take action to say no to the bad.

Opponents of the industry-friendly bill, S.452 by subcommittee chairman Campbell, expressed concern over provisions that would allocate the vast majority of water in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams to existing and future industries, flat-lining our river flows and allowing them to be drawn down to near drought-level conditions. Supporters testified that existing and future industries should be given special treatment and permit rights to use the majority of the public’s water in return for agreeing to participate in a new regulatory program.

The subcommittee carried the bill over until its next meeting on Wednesday, April 1st at 10AM. Subcommittee members hope to have a bill to present to the full Agriculture Committee next week. Please click here to urge subcommittee members to oppose S.452 as written and support amendments that will protect our rivers and streams and foster responsible economic development.

S. 452 is bad for the environment, bad for business, and bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina over shared water resources. It gives higher consideration to future industries than to the people who live here now.

S.452 establishes a one-size-fits-all minimum flow policy for the state that would allow rivers and streams to be drawn down to near drought level flows (20% MAF). Big business and industry believe that year-round drought level flows are “adequate” for the health of our rivers and for the public’s use.

As written, S.452 would exempt some of the state’s largest water consumers from the permitting process. The bill also creates a regulatory process that favors upstream users over downstream users. There are only a few downstream users who aren’t downstream of others.

S.452 is bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina: By adopting the “low flow” requirements noted above, South Carolina would be conceding that it needs nothing more than drought level flows, leaving everything else on the table for our neighbors to claim.

News Coverage:

• The State, “Water bill crucial to court fight with NC,” by Bob Waldrep
  
• Post & Courier, “Protect our state’s rivers”
  

Contact: Heather Spires


Stop Wasting SC! Landfill moratorium is stalled in Senate {action item}

S.324, a joint resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on permits for landfills was stalled on the Senate floor this week without debate when several Senators objected to it. The resolution, by Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) and others, would apply to new and expanded Class III “megadumps.” Existing municipal landfills looking to expand and construction and debris landfills would be exempt.

Because this is such a controversial issue, the resolution is now on the contested calendar. In order to ensure debate on the moratorium this year and a chance at passage, the resolution must be moved to a “special slot” on the calendar. Please write your Senator now and urge him to vote in favor of setting S.324 for Special Order to ensure that the Senate debates the bill this year.

New Coverage:

• Florence Morning News, “South Carolina needs to limit waste from other states”
  
• The State, “Predatory dumping hazardous to our economy” by Senator Tom Davis
• The State, “Panel votes to stop dumps”
• Post & Courier, “Landfill Moratorium Advances”

Landfill Facts:

• In 2007, South Carolinians produced 4.6 million tons of solid waste destined for S.C. landfills.
• There are 18 fully operational Class III (municipal solid waste) landfills in South Carolina, with a 19th nearly permitted.

The permitted annual capacity of these 18 landfills is 9.9 million tons, and an additional net 3.5 million tons of capacity could be added if the proposed Williamsburg and Marlboro County double its needed capacity, and could soon have more than three times its needed capacity. landfills were built. This means the State already has more than

In 2007, 28% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in South Carolina was imported from out of state. This amount has increased steadily as statewide capacity has increased over time. This is a clear market signal that South Carolina has far more capacity than it currently needs.

The SCDHEC Board recognized in August, 2008 that the state’s Determination of Need Regulation (61-107.17) is not fulfilling the intent of Title 44. The Board also recognized that the DON changes proposed this legislative session do not adequately address the problems. Therefore, the Board directed DHEC staff to set up a Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to review the capacity issues generated by the regulation. This taskforce is directed to report findings by August 2009.

Contact: Heather Spires


Turtle Export Bill Headed to the Senate Floor

The Turtle Export Control Bill, H. 3121 by Representative James Smith (D-Richland), was passed out of a Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee this week with a favorable report on Wednesday, March 25th. The bill seeks to prohibit the capture and mass export of South Carolina's turtles, including: the box turtle, yellowbelly turtle, Florida cooter, river cooter, chicken turtle, eastern painted turtle, spiny softshell turtle, Florida softshell turtle and common snapping turtle. Violation of the law would carry a $200 per turtle fine.

Contact: Patrick Moore

Senate Finance Committee Considers Conservation Bank This Week {action item}

The Senate Finance Committee will consider funding for the Conservation Bank this week. Funding for the continued existence of the Conservation Bank, a State program that has produced $6 in land value for every $1 it has received, is in serious jeopardy. The Bank has protected more than 152,000 acres at a price of $534 per acre in South Carolina and without funding this year, could cease to exist. Please write and call your Senators and ask them to support funding for the Bank or its administrative costs.

Contact: Patrick Moore

Read more...

Week of March 16 - 20, 2009

Friday, March 20, 2009

Stop Wasting SC! {action item}

S.324, calling for a two-year moratorium on permits for landfills passed unanimously out of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on Thursday. The resolution, S. 324 by Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) and others, would apply to new and expanded Class III “megadumps.” Existing municipal landfills looking to expand and construction and debris landfills would be exempt. The resolution will be on the Senate floor for debate next week. We expect amendments will be proposed on the Senate floor next week that would weaken the resolution by shortening the length of the moratorium. Proponents have asked for a two-year moratorium to allow time for the revised Determination of Need regulations recommended by the Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to be put in place.

Please help us by asking your senator to support a TWO-YEAR moratorium on permits for landfills. It is critical to contact your legislator in support of the joint resolution. If it does not pass the Senate before May 1st, the moratorium will not pass this year.

New Coverage:

• The State, “Predatory dumping hazardous to our economy” by Senator Tom Davis
• The State, “Panel votes to stop dumps”
• Post & Courier, “Landfill Moratorium Advances”

Landfill Facts:

• In 2007, South Carolinians produced 4.6 million tons of solid waste destined for S.C. landfills.
• There are 18 fully operational Class III (municipal solid waste) landfills in South Carolina, with a 19th nearly permitted.

The permitted annual capacity of these 18 landfills is 9.9 million tons, and an additional net 3.5 million tons of capacity could be added if the proposed Williamsburg and Marlboro Countydouble its needed capacity, and could soon have more than three times its needed capacity. landfills were built. This means the State already has more than

In 2007, 28% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in South Carolina was imported from out of state. This amount has increased steadily as statewide capacity has increased over time. This is a clear market signal that South Carolina has far more capacity than it currently needs.

The SCDHEC Board recognized in August, 2008 that the state’s Determination of Need Regulation (61-107.17) is not fulfilling the intent of Title 44. The Board also recognized that the DON changes proposed this legislative session do not adequately address the problems. Therefore, the Board directed DHEC staff to set up a Statewide Landfill Capacity Taskforce to review the capacity issues generated by the regulation. This taskforce is directed to report findings by August 2009.

Contact: Heather Spires


DHEC Reform to be Studied by Senate Medical Affairs Committee {action item}

S. 384 (DHEC Reform), which would replace the Board with a Secretary of Health and the Environment, was carried over on Thursday, March 19 with some interesting discussion.

It was ultimately decided that the full Committee should hold special hearings on the bill this year and reconsider a broader range of possible changes at the Agency. Senator Peeler promised Senator Courson that he would not to put the bill in the bottom left drawer of the desk and that the hearings would be pursued.

Almost all of the members of the committee who spoke on the issue commented that they agreed with the concept of a Secretary of Health and Environment but the reforms needed at the agency were so complex and important that they needed to be looked at comprehensively.

There was the sense that if they voted it out it would just sit on the calendar until at least Jan. 2011 anyway so there was time to look at the issue more closely. The hearings could start as early as May. The League will post meeting notices and schedules of these meetings as they are released.

Background on S. 384

S. 384, Introduced by Senators Leventis and Courson and co-sponsored by Senators Sheheen, Reese, Mathews, and Thomas makes 2 central changes.

1. Secretary of Health and the Environment - Currently, DHEC's Commissioner is nominated by DHEC Board with Senate consent. S.384 would replace the Commissioner with a Secretary of DHEC, to be nominated by Governor with Senate consent. The Secretary would assume the few remaining executive functions that remained with the DHEC Board following 2006 restructuring bill. Secretary would serve at will, removable by Governor. Current Commissioner is removable by Board with consent of Governor. Right now citizens do not know who to hold responsible (Governor? Board? General Assembly?) for DHEC management. By increasing accountability and transparency, this bill would fix that problem.
2. Board of Health, Board of Environmental Control - The bill creates two Boards (one for health, one for environment) to conduct first-level review of challenges to DHEC staff decisions on permits, licenses, certificates, etc. This also follows the 2006 restructuring, which made DHEC Board the first level of review (rather than the Administrative Law Court) and vastly increased the Board's workload. Two boards could resolve twice as many cases and keep the parties out of litigation. Members would be nominated by the Governor with consent of the Senate, like current Board members, but unlike current law would members would need experience in the respective health or environmental fields.

Contact: Patrick Moore


Senate Finance Committee Considers Conservation Bank Funding {action item}

The Senate Finance Committee will start considering funding for the Conservation Bank this week. Funding for the continued existence of the Conservation Bank, a State program that has produced $6 in land value for every $1 it has received, is in serious jeopardy. The Bank has protected more than 152,000 acres at a price of $534 per acre in South Carolina and without funding this year, could cease to exist. Please write and call your Senators and ask them to support funding for the Bank or its administrative costs.

Contact: Patrick Moore

The Un-Fair Share Water Bill {action item}

A Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee chaired by Senator Paul Campbell will hear testimony on the Un-Fair Share Water Bill on Wednesday, March 25th at 11AM. The industry-friendly bill, S.452 by subcommittee chairman Campbell, allocates the vast majority of the water in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams to existing and future industries, locking it up in permits for decades to come and giving higher consideration to future business and industry than to the people who are here now.

S. 452 is bad for the environment, bad for business, and bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina over shared water resources. Please click here to urge subcommittee members to oppose S.452 as written and ask that reasonable provisions from Senator Wes Hayes’ (R-York) Fair Share Water bill, S.275, be adopted.

Some specific problems with S.452:

It’s bad for the environment: S.452 establishes a one-size-fits-all minimum flow policy for the state that would allow rivers and streams to be drawn down to near drought level flows (20% MAF). Big business and industry believe that year-round drought level flows are “adequate” for the health of our rivers and enough for everyone else.

It’s bad for business: S.452 exempts some of the state’s largest water consumers from the permitting process, but requires smaller users to get permits, putting an unfair regulatory burden on small businesses. The bill also creates a regulatory process that favors upstream users over downstream users. There are only a few downstream users who aren’t downstream of others.

It’s bad for negotiations with Georgia and North Carolina: By adopting the “low flow” requirements noted above, South Carolina would be conceding that it needs nothing more than drought level flows, leaving everything else on the table for our neighbors to claim.

Contact: Heather Spires

Offshore Drilling Bill

S.44, which would permit offshore exploration, drilling, or production of oil or gas in the Atlantic Ocean within the territorial jurisdiction of South Carolina contingent on the removal of applicable federal restrictions will be discussed by the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Wednesday March 25. The results of a pending report from the Natural Gas Study Committee are not yet available. The Minerals Management Service recently announced that the policy of drilling off the Atlantic Coast was being is being reviewed. Until the results of the Natural Gas Study Committee and the federal review are available, South Carolina should not waste its legislative and regulatory resources on this issue.

Contact: Patrick Moore

Energy Update {action item}

H.3550 by Representative Harry Cato (R-Greenville) and others that would revise South Carolina’s outdated residential building energy standards and establish the International Energy Conservation Code as our state’s energy standard needs your support. In the early 1990s the SC General Assembly adopted a law that has kept our state’s residential building energy standards frozen in time. H.3550 would delete those old energy rules and adopt the International Energy Conservation Code as our state’s energy standard for new residential construction and renovations. This small change in law could help South Carolina achieve 7% electricity savings and 5% natural gas savings by 2020. The Annual savings for home owners through 2015 are estimated to be $547 and could increase to almost $1200 annually thereafter. Statewide the energy savings are estimated to be as high as $1.7 billion dollars by 2020. This equates to nearly eight million megawatts of energy—enough energy to power more than 500,000 homes. Carbon dioxide emissions could also be reduced by 35 million metric tons—equivalent to removing more than 725,000 automobiles off the road. H.3550 was referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee in February, but the bill has yet to be forwarded to a subcommittee for its review.

Click here to write your representative and members of the Committee to urge them to act on this bill this year. South Carolina’s energy independence depends on your support.

Contacts: Patty Pierce and Ben Moore

Read more...