SCDES Announces Public Meeting to Introduce Draft Pee Dee River Basin Plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 16, 2024 COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) invites residents to attend an upcoming meeting to review and provide comments about the draft Pee Dee River Basin Plan. Public input is an integral part of the development of the plan, which will help identify best management practices for ensuring the Pee Dee River basin has…, said Scott Harder, Hydrology Section Manager with SCDES’s Bureau of Water., “With the draft plan complete, we’re ready to present it to the public so we can begin receiving comments that will be reviewed and considered as the plan is finalized.” The public meeting is, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center, 2200 Pocket Road, Darlington., It serves as an opportunity for the Pee Dee River Basin Council to solicit residents’ input about the draft plan, which is available online at des.sc.gov/hydrology . Public comments will be accepted from Jan. 14-Feb. 13, 2025. “Public involvement is critical to the goal of ensuring that future generations of South Carolinians have secure, well-managed supplies of our most critical natural…, Harder said., Learn more about water planning in South Carolina and the South Carolina State Water Planning Framework and river basin planning process at des.sc.gov/hydrology. ###Recycle Here SC App
Public Asked to Provide Input on Water Resource Planning at WaterSC Listening Session
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Residents are invited to attend an upcoming WaterSC listening session to provide input about protecting and managing the state's natural water resources. Public engagement is critical to WaterSC, which is charged with developing a water resources policy and plan that balances South Carolina's economic and environmental interests to ensure the long-term protection of the state’s…, The listening session will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Phillips Market Center, located at 117 Ballard Court in West Columbia. An open house will begin at 4 p.m. during which attendees can learn more about water planning in the state, and a public comment portion will begin at 6 p.m., "Our hope is for residents to take the opportunity to attend this listening session and engage with our water planning experts to learn more about the goals of WaterSC and how multiple sectors are coming together to ensure our state's water resources are protected and properly managed for generations to come,", said Myra Reece, SCDES Interim Director., "Water is a shared resource that's invaluable in many different ways, which is why we want South Carolinians to be an active partner in water planning in our state." Additional listening sessions are planned in the spring at locations around the state. Recordings of previous meetings of the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group and a schedule of upcoming meetings are available at des.sc.gov/…SCDES Launches New Coastal Atlas to Provide Valuable Information about SC’s Coastal Environment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 6, 2025 COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services’s Bureau of Coastal Management (BCM) launched a new public resource providing valuable information about South Carolina’s coastal environment. The new South Carolina Coastal Atlas is an ArcGIS StoryMap designed to provide graphics, imagery and information about the history, data,…, said Chris Stout, Chief of SCDES’s Bureau of Coastal Management., “This new tool also provides a historical overview of how the state’s coastal environment has been protected over the years.” Users of the new South Carolina Coastal Atlas can navigate major milestones along the Coastal Management Program’s historical timeline, from the 1973 inception of the Coastal Zone Planning and Management Council, through state government restructuring over the decades, to…SCDES Offers Free Radon Test Kits, Reminds Residents of Radon Dangers during National Radon Action Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 9, 2025 COLUMBIA, S.C. — January is National Radon Action Month, and the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) encourages South Carolinians to become familiar with the risks of radon presence inside a home. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, and the health risks from radon are even greater for…, said Rhonda Thompson, Chief of SCDES’s Bureau of Air Quality. , “Two homes right next to each other can have different radon levels, and the only way to know if a home has high radon levels is to test for it.” While radon can only be detected by performing a home test, it can be mitigated if found. “South Carolina has nationally certified radon contractors who can measure radon and install solutions to reduce elevated radon levels,” , said Olivia Burgher, Environmental Health Manager with SCDES’s Radon Program. , “SCDES provides links to lists of credentialed radon professionals, guidance for choosing a radon contractor, and other resources about radon mitigation on our website.” Additionally, the South Carolina Radon Program offers one free radon test kit per home that can be requested at des.sc.gov/radon, while supplies last. Radon test kits also can be purchased from the National Radon Program (…Former Ducane Site
Santee River Basin Council Meeting
The next Santee River Basin Council meeting has been scheduled for January 28th, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM., The Council will meet in-person at the Old Santee Canal Park’s Learning Center in Moncks Corner, SC (Park address is 900 Stoney Landing Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461 , but see Park Map for directions to the Learning Center). The meeting may be attended virtually as well. For meeting access information, please contact Scott Harder ( scott.harder@des.sc.gov ) or Alexis Modzelesky ( alexis.…WaterSC Meetings
The WaterSC Water Resources Working Group will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, from 12:30 to 5:00 PM at Phillips Market Center, 117 Ballard Ct., West Columbia., The meeting, will be livestreamed, by SCETV, For more information on upcoming and previous WaterSC meetings, visit our, WaterSC Meetings webpage, .WaterSC to Meet Jan. 16, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 15, 2025 COLUMBIA, S.C. – The WaterSC Water Resources Working Group will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, from 12:30 p.m.-5 p.m. at Phillips Market Center,117 Ballard Court, West Columbia, The meeting will be livestreamed by SCETV on, scetv.org, ., A copy of the agenda and additional information are available at des.sc.gov/WaterSC . On Sept. 24, 2024, Governor Henry McMaster issued Executive Order 2024-22 , establishing the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group (WaterSC), with the S.C. Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) serving as the lead agency of the initiative. WaterSC is working across state agencies and with key…S.C. Aquatic Plant Management Council to Meet Jan. 22, 2025
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The South Carolina Aquatic Plant Management Council will meet at, 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the S.C. Department of Environmental Services, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, in the Sherer Conference Room, #4160, . There will be a virtual option to attend via Microsoft Teams. The meeting is open to the public; visitors choosing to attend in-person will need to check in at the front desk of the SCDES building at 2600 Bull Street., Inclement weather update:, With winter weather currently forecast for Jan. 22, if Richland County Government offices close, the S.C. Aquatic Plant Management Council will shift to a, virtual-only, meeting. State Government offices follow the weather closings of the County Government where they are located. Anyone with business for the Council or who wishes to receive Teams login instructions should contact Julie Holling at SCDES by email at julie.holling@des.sc.gov . To provide for an efficient meeting, please contact Julie Holling in advance if you would like to address the Council. , Meeting Agenda, 1. Call to Order of the 145th Meeting 2. Review and Approval of the Minutes of the March 6, 2024 (144th) Council meeting 3. Public Comment Period (30 minutes) 4. Recap of 2024 Aquatic Control Operations a. SC DNR/DES – Julie Holling b. Santee Cooper – Chad Holbrook 5. Santee Cooper Multispectral Aquatic Plant Survey Results and Grass Carp Recommendation – Chad Holbrook 6. Grass Carp and Game Fish…