Air Pollutants
Criteria Air Pollutants, The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six commonly found air pollutants known as Criteria Air Pollutants . Together with state, tribal, and local air agencies, we work to attain the standards nationwide.Protecting Our Coast: How SCDES Is Strengthening the Fight Against Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
A capsized boat rests partially submerged near a grassy shoreline. Cranes and industrial structures are visible in the background under a clear sky. South Carolina’s coastal environments are treasured natural resources—supporting wildlife, recreation, tourism and local economies. Protecting these resources requires coordination, collaboration and innovation. That’s why the South Carolina…, Bureau of Coastal Management, (BCM), is leading an initiative to strengthen how, abandoned and derelict vessels, (ADVs) are reported, documented and addressed across the state’s coastal counties. Why Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Matter Aerial view of a marshland with patches of green vegetation, brown mud, and small water channels. In the background, there is a tree-lined area. Abandoned and derelict vessels can pose serious risks to navigation, public safety, water quality and sensitive coastal…, public boat reporting tool, on the, MyCoast South Carolina, platform. Initially developed in 2015 to allow the public to easily report potentially abandoned or derelict vessels, the reporting form has been expanded. Users can now share additional information including vessel type and disposition and identify the presence of hazardous materials. As part of this enhancement, public boat reports submitted through MyCoast now route directly to appropriate…, coastal ADV Database, within, MyCoast South Carolina, to support collaboration among state, county, and municipal partners working in South Carolina’s eight coastal counties. This database allows agencies to efficiently share information, track investigations and coordinate next steps related to ADV cases. To further enhance transparency and public awareness, BCM launched a, public ADV Dashboard, in March. This interactive tool provides a clear picture of efforts to address ADVs along the coast by displaying: Vessels currently under investigation Vessels that are eligible for removal Vessels that have been removed in coastal counties since 2019 Together, the new and enhanced MyCoast ADV tools are designed to improve the public reporting process, streamline interagency communication and…Coastal Program Enhancements
Section 309 Coastal Program Assessment and Strategy Development, Section 309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, the , Coastal Zone Enhancement Program, , encourages state and territorial coastal zone management programs (CZMPs) to strengthen and improve their federally approved programs in one or more of nine enhancement areas. The South Carolina CZMP, housed within SCDES BCM, undergoes an associated self-assessment every five years to identify enhancement opportunities within each of the nine areas. Based on assessment results and stakeholder…, 2026-2030 Section 309 Strategies, SCDES BCM will be pursuing two new multi-year strategies associated with the 2026-2030 enhancement cycle. Priority areas include Wetlands and Coastal Hazards. Refer to the, South Carolina Coastal Management Program’s Section 309 Assessment and Strategy for 2026-2030, for more information. , 2021-2025 Section 309 Strategies, SCDES BCM is currently implementing two, multi-year strategies which are outlined in the , South Carolina Coastal Management Program’s Section 309 Assessment and Strategy for 2021-2025, . The priority enhancement areas associated with these strategies are Marine Debris and Coastal Hazards.Local Comprehensive Beach Management Plans
SCDES's Bureau of Coastal Management is responsible for the management of the state's beachfront and coastal zone. The Beachfront Management Act (S.C. Code Ann. § 48-39-250, et seq, ), establishes a requirement that ocean beachfront counties and municipalities prepare local comprehensive beach management plans in coordination with SCDES BCM. These plans must include a minimum of ten specific elements. Once adopted by the community, local comprehensive beach management plans are then submitted to SCDES for review and state approval., Local comprehensive beach management plans are an important and effective management tool for local governments. These plans provide guidance to state and federal agencies on local policies, regulations, and procedures related to beachfront management. Local comprehensive beach management plans are required to be reviewed by the local government every five years. SCDES has prepared interim…, Management Authorities, The state Beachfront Management Act (S.C. Code Ann. § 48-39-250, et seq, ) establishes the statutory guidance and state policies, which directs all state beachfront activities and decisions. The Act is implemented through a variety of mechanisms at the state and local levels, including through the State Comprehensive Beachfront Management Plan and Local Comprehensive Beach Management Plans. In accordance with the state's Beachfront Management Act, local comprehensive…, Horry County, 2023, City of North Myrtle Beach, 2014, Town of Atlantic Beach, 1992, identified as Town's Comprehensive Plan's Priority Planning Project 2017, Town of Briarcliffe Acres, Default to State Plan, City of Myrtle Beach, 2012, Town of Surfside Beach, 1991, Town of Pawleys Island, 2012, Georgetown County, 1992, Charleston County, 2021, City of Isle of Palms, 2023, Town of Sullivan's Island, 2017, City of Folly Beach, 2021, Town of Kiawah Island, 2012, Town of Seabrook Island, 2020, Colleton County, Default to State Plan, Town of Edisto Beach, 2017, Beaufort County, 1993, Town of Hilton Head Island, 2017 For questions, please contact Lexi Mitchell, Coastal Planner, at Alexandra.Mitchell@des.sc.gov .SCDES BCM Hurricane Preparedness & Recovery
WaterSC Meeting
The WaterSC Water Resources Working Group will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, from 10:00 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cathy Novinger Girl Scout Leadership Center, 1107 Williams St., Columbia. , Agenda, For more information on upcoming and previous WaterSC meetings, visit our, WaterSC Meetings webpage, .Recycling at School
School districts have a unique obligation to demonstrate environmental accountability by setting up waste reduction, recycling and composting programs. The benefits of these programs are many including conserving resources, supporting the state's recycling efforts and economy as well as teaching a lifelong lesson to students on sustainability and being responsible consumers. SCDES's Office of…, Available Resources, Take Action SC Partnership Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow (K-12) Recycling Homepage, Guides for Schools, DES's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling has developed four guides to help schools set up recycling, composting, food waste reduction, and battery recycling and safety programs. Recycling: A Guide for South Carolina Schools delivers the steps necessary to set up a successful school recycling program. Reducing Food Waste: A Guide for South Carolina Schools provides strategies on how…, "Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow", "Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow" ("Action") is an award-winning, interdisciplinary, activity-based curriculum supplement that provides an introduction to solid waste, recycling and composting to kindergarten through eighth-grade students. "Action" was developed by teachers and DHEC's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling in conjunction with the S.C. Department of Education in 1993. The…, Take Action SC Partnership, The Take Action SC Environmental Education Partnership is dedicated to providing a program that informs, inspires and empowers students and teachers to protect and preserve the environment. Comprised of Coastal Carolina University, PalmettoPride, S.C. Energy Office, University of South Carolina's Sustainable Carolina and DES's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, the partnership program…, Grant Funding for K-12 Schools, The Recycling Education Grant Program , offered by DHEC's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, is available annually to South Carolina schools. For more information, contact the Office via email or by calling 1-800-768-7348 ., No Time to Waste - K-12 School Waste Study, No Time to Waste: An Analysis of the Material Generated, Discarded, and Recovered at South Carolina’s Public Schools – was designed to provide a characterization of the solid waste generated throughout one day at six public schools in South Carolina. South Carolina has about 760,000 students and 50,000 teachers in more than 1,200 schools that generate substantial amounts of waste. The vast…Be Battery Smart - Resources
Household tools and devices, including a drill, laptop, battery charger, clock, tablet, and lawnmower, surrounded by arrows. Text reads: "Be Battery Smart: A Household Safety Guide for Lithium-Ion Batteries." Logos for South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Take Charge, and another entity are displayed. Website link: des.sc.gov/bebatterysmart., Household Guide for Lithium-Ion Batteries, Be Battery Smart poster, Be Battery Smart - General Rules fact sheet, Be Battery Safe fact sheet, Be Battery Safe - Lithium-Ion fact sheet, Identifying & Safely Managing Batteries Fact Sheet, Identifying & Safely Managing Batteries fact sheet, Lithium-Ion Batteries poster, Lithium-Ion Tips poster, Be Safe at Home poster, Be Safe at Home poster, It's Good to Be a Know-It-All poster, Good to Be a Know-It-All poster, Take Action SC Curriculum Battery Lesson pdf image, Take Action SC - Battery Safety Lesson, Battery Guy baseball card, Battery Guy - "Sparky" - baseball card, Button & Coin Battery poster, Button and Coin Battery Safety Poster, Keep Calm & Recycle Batteries poster, Keep Calm and Recycle Batteries poster, , , Additional Resources, Call2Recycle's Electric Bicycle Battery Recycling Program, Energizer's Coin Lithium Battery Safety, EPA's Used Household Batteries Guidance, EPA's Used Lithium-Ion Batteries Guidance, Federal Aviation Administration's Lithium Battery Safety Resources, Poison Control Center's Battery Ingestion Hotline, Avoid the Spark LogoUST Publications
Newsletters, Biannual publication of compliance, technical, and financial information to supply outreach to tank owners, contractors, and the general public. Fall 2024 (pdf) Fall 2022 (pdf) Winter 2018 (pdf) Summer 2016 (pdf) Spring 2015 (pdf) Summer 2014 (pdf) Summer 2013 (pdf) Summer 2012 (pdf) , UST Public Record of Compliance and Releases, Section 1526 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires states receiving federal funds under Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to maintain, update at least annually, and make available to the public a record of underground storage tanks regulated under this subtitle. The public record shall include (to the maximum extent practicable, for each year) the number, sources, and causes of…, SUPERB Quarterly Financial Report, The SUPERB Act establishes the SUPERB Account to ensure the availability of funds for the rehabilitation of petroleum and petroleum product releases from underground storage tanks and for administration of the underground storage tank program. The SUPERB Act also establishes the Financial Responsibility Fund which must be used for compensating third parties for actual costs for bodily injury and…, SUPERB Advisory Committee Report, 2024 (pdf) 2023 (pdf) 2022 (pdf) 2021 (pdf) 2020 (pdf) 2019 (pdf) 2018 (pdf) 2017 (pdf) 2016 (pdf) 2015 (pdf) 2014 (pdf) 2013 (pdf) 2012 (pdf) 2011 (pdf) 2010 (pdf) 2009 (pdf) 2008 (pdf) 2007 (pdf) 2006 pdf) , Proposed Federal UST Regulations, The revised federal UST Regulations 40 CFR 280 and 40 CFR 281 went into effect October 13, 2015.Heidelberg Manning Quarry