BCM Beaufort Moving

Starting April 1, 2025, the address for the SCDES BCM Beaufort field office will be 1911 Boundary Street, Suite 104, Beaufort, SC 29902. The SCDES BCM’s office location at 104 Parker Drive will no longer be occupied by agency staff.  

Please forward all mail and drop off all hard copy critical area line surveys and plans to the new Boundary Street address.

In-office meetings with project managers can be requested by appointment. To request an appointment, please see the contact information for the project managers reporting from the Beaufort field office.
 

NEW Critical Area General Permits

SCDES Bureau of Coastal Management announces two (2) NEW Critical Area General Permits available for use!

2026 Coastal Photography Contest is OPEN!

Photographers of all degrees of expertise are invited to participate in the annual photography contest sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services.

Coastal Atlas

Explore history, tools, and initiatives of the South Carolina Coastal Management Program.

Living Shorelines - A Guide to Permitting

General resources to help assess site conditions and plan for a living shoreline.

MyCoast - A web and mobile-based app for submitting photos and data associated with coastal hazards.

MyCoast was designed to engage the public and enhance awareness among the general public, stakeholders and decision makers.

Bureau of Coastal Management (BCM) protects and enhances the state's coastal resources by preserving sensitive and fragile areas while promoting responsible development in the eight coastal counties of South Carolina.
BCM is led by Chris Stout, who became Bureau Chief in 2024. 

 


SCDES’s Bureau of Coastal Management (BCM) implements the South Carolina Coastal Zone Management Program with the goal of achieving balance between the appropriate use, development, and conservation of coastal resources in the best interest of all citizens of the state. The South Carolina Coastal Management Program was established under the guidelines of the national Coastal Zone Management Act (1972) as a state-federal partnership and was authorized in 1977 under SC’s Coastal Tidelands and Wetlands Act. Implementation of the program includes the direct regulation of impacts to coastal resources within the critical areas of the state including coastal waters, tidelands, beaches, and beach/dune systems; and indirect certification authority over federal actions and state permit decisions within the eight coastal counties. SCDES BCM’s statutory and regulatory authorities are defined within the South Carolina Coastal Tidelands and Wetlands Act and the state’s Coastal Division Regulations. 

BCM Sections
 

BCM Coastal Program Initiatives