History of the S.C. Department of Environmental Services
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) is a South Carolina state cabinet agency established by state law on July 1, 2024, with specific roles and responsibilities for overseeing the protection and preservation of South Carolina’s environment and natural resources. SCDES is focused on efficient and better delivery of services with a commitment to Science, Service and Sustainability. 
Prior to July 1, 2024, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) was the government agency responsible for public health and the environment in South Carolina. It was created in 1973 from the merger of the South Carolina State Board of Health and the South Carolina Pollution Control Authority. The agency’s mission included protecting public health, controlling pollution, licensing healthcare facilities, and maintaining vital records.
View Playlist of Historical DHEC Videos
DHEC was dissolved into two agencies on July 1, 2024: the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Environmental Services (SCDES). As part of this restructuring, the state's retail food program and milk and dairy lab that were formerly part of DHEC were moved to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Also, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resource’s hydrology and aquatic nuisance species programs were reorganized to be part of SCDES’s Bureau of Water.
SCDES is comprised of five environmental bureaus:
- Bureau of Water
- Bureau of Air Quality
- Bureau of Land and Waste Management
- Bureau of Coastal Management
- Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services
These five environmental bureaus are assisted by several important support teams including Human Resources, Finance and Operations, IT, Communications, Collaborative Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Legislative Affairs, General Counsel, Constituent Services and others.
SCDES has offices throughout the state where more than 1,200 team members provide environmental oversight and essential services that protect all communities across the state. The agency is headquartered in Columbia. Learn more about SCDES's roles and responsibilities here.
