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Coastal Conservation League outlined the provisions of the bill and the need for comprehensive reforms to our state's outdated annexation laws.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 H.3550 aims to delete outdated energy standards for residential construction from the South Carolina code and establish the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as the state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.