Ocean Management and Planning
In addition to managing onshore coastal resources, SCDES BCM is responsible for managing ocean resources within South Carolina's state waters which extend out to three (3) nautical miles offshore. State marine waters include critical habitats for commercially and recreationally important fisheries, as well as significant mineral and sand resources. Due to their proximity to land, state waters are…, Management Authorities, SC Coastal Zone Management Program Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, Research and Policy Development, SC Ocean Planning Workgroup - Final Report (2012), Resources, SCDES BCM State of the Knowledge Report: Ocean Planning (pdf) Ocean Use and Public Perception Survey Results (2008) (pdf) S.C. Energy Office Renewable Energy Home PageAccesibilidad, no discriminación, avisos de privacidad
Attack Threats
Chemical Emergencies:, Chemical emergencies occur when there is a release of chemicals into the atmosphere that could have harmful effects on people's health. A release of chemicals into the environment could be intentional, in the case of a terrorist attack, or unintentional, in the case of a train derailment. Since you may not immediately be aware of what type of chemical has been released, it is important to get to…, Chemical Emergencies Overview, ., Radiation:, Radiation emergencies can occur from an incident at a fixed nuclear site, a radiological dispersion device, or a nuclear bomb. While these incidents are highly unlikely, it is important to be prepared prior to potential radiation exposure. In South Carolina, we have several, fixed nuclear sites, which undergo preparedness planning, and regular exercises to prepare for such an event. A radiological dispersion device is also known as a "dirty bomb." The main danger from these devices is the actual explosion, as there is usually not enough radiation dispersed to cause harm. The CDC has prepared a guide to help inform you about radiation, types of exposure, and how to prepare for such an…, Frequently Asked Questions about Radiation, ., Weapons of Mass Destruction:, Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are chemical, biological, or radiological agents capable of causing death or serious injury to a great number of people. Chemical agents require a hazardous materials response with specialized equipment and pharmaceuticals. Biological agents require a response by the medical community similar to an epidemiologic response. Radiological agents emit radiation, which…, What You Can Do to Prepare:, The CDC and the American Red Cross have teamed up to answer questions and provide advice on steps you can take to prepare yourself and your loved ones in the event of an attack or accidental emergency. For preparedness information and guidelines, please see, Emergency Preparedness and You, . The Department of Homeland Security has established a website to provide information to the public about emergencies and emergency preparedness. For information on what to do in the event of an emergency, please see, Ready.gov, .Fact Sheets on Common SCDES Permits, Licenses, Certifications and Registrations
Infectious Waste Generators, Getting a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, NPDES Permit - StormwaterWater Pollution Control Programs
The Water Pollution Control Programs section of the SCDES website provides information and resources on the Clean Water Act and sewer and wastewater programs., Satellite Sewer System Program, Sewer Pretreatment Program, Sewer Sludge Program, The Clean Water Act, Wastewater Construction ProgramArborNature C&D Debris Transfer Station - Community Engagement
As part of the permitting process, SCDES engages surrounding communities and the general public prior to making a final permit decision in order to: Provide information about proposed permitted activities in their communities; Give community members and other interested parties an opportunity to submit relevant information to SCDES for consideration prior to making a final permit decision; and…, Public meetings and public hearings, are methods SCDES uses to hear concerns and receive comments during the permitting process. A public meeting is an informal conversation with SCDES staff to include questions and answers (Q&A). A public hearing is a formal opportunity for comments to be stated and recorded by a court reporter. SCDES held virtual public meetings on the proposed ArborNature transfer station on September 10 and…, Public Meeting #1 - September 10, 2020, DHEC held a virtual public meeting on, September 10, 2020, at 6:30, pm, to discuss the proposed transfer station and answer questions in an informal setting. DHEC staff shared information about the proposed operation and DHEC’s permitting process and answered questions from attendees. , ArborNature Public Meeting Presentation - September 10, 2020, ArborNature Public Meeting Recording - September 10, 2020, ArborNature Public Meeting Feedback Form - September 10, 2020 , ArborNature Public Meeting Transcript - September 10, 2020, Public Meeting #2 - September 24, 2020, DHEC held a virtual public meeting on, September 24, 2020, at 6:30, pm, to discuss the proposed transfer station and answer questions in an informal setting. DHEC staff shared information about the proposed operation and DHEC’s permitting process and answered questions from attendees., ArborNature Public Meeting Presentation - September 24, 2020, ArborNature Public Meeting Recording - September 24, 2020, ArborNature Public Meeting Feedback Form - September 24, 2020, ArborNature Public Meeting Transcript - September 24, 2020, Public Hearing Teleconference - October 22, 2020, DHEC held a public hearing teleconference on October 22, 2020, to accept oral comments and supporting information on the draft permit for the proposed ArborNature Transfer Station. The afternoon session began at 12:00 pm and consisted of five 1-hour segments with up to eight registered commenters per hour. The evening session began at 6:30 pm. , ArborNature Public Hearing Pre-Recorded Presentation, ArborNature Public Hearing Presentation Slides, ArborNature Public Hearing Recording , ArborNature Public Hearing Procedures, ArborNature Public Hearing Feedback Form, ArborNature Public Hearing Transcript, We recognize many local residents have concerns that are not within SCDES’s permitting authority, such as truck traffic, noise, zoning, and potential impacts to property values, which may affect a community’s quality of life. Although SCDES does not have the authority to regulate or consider these concerns when making a permit decision, we encourage community members to engage in ongoing…, What to Expect After a Public Hearing, Once a public comment period closes, SCDES reviews and considers all comments received to determine if any modifications should be made to the permit application or draft permit. SCDES’s final decision to either approve, modify, or deny a permit is made available to everyone on SCDES’s mailing list. A summary response to all comments received is also provided.Cheraw Site: Next Steps
This webpage is no longer maintained. It may be useful as background information or to provide a historical perspective on a topic or project. , Next Steps, DHEC will continue to work with the EPA to address the contamination that remains in the area. Removal actions are planned on the Highland Industries property, the adjacent drainage ditch, and Huckleberry Park. As additional actions are proposed for any remaining areas of contamination, DHEC will continue to support the USEPA-led efforts., Former Burlington Industries Site - Couch PictureCheraw Site: PCBs
This webpage is no longer maintained. It may be useful as background information or to provide a historical perspective on a topic or project. , PCBs, PCBs is an abbreviation for polychlorinated biphenyls. This is not one chemical, but a class made up of 209 chemicals. PCBs are man-made, with a range of toxicity, and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. PCBs have no known taste or smell., PCBs were manufactured and used in many industrial operations from 1929 until they were banned from being made in the United States in 1979. PCBs were used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment because they are good insulators and don't burn. PCBs were also historically used as fluids in old fluorescent lighting fixtures and electrical…, The health effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depends on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present., Because PCBs were used for so long prior to being regulated, low levels are found throughout the environment; typically in soils and sediments found in streams, rivers or ponds. They are sometimes found at higher levels in areas where they were disposed of prior to environmental regulations or where they have been illegally dumped. Most people normally have low levels of PCBs in their bodies…Cheraw Site: Precautionary Measures for Local Residents
This webpage is no longer maintained. It may be useful as background information or to provide a historical perspective on a topic or project. , When DHEC investigates areas of historical environmental contamination, we make recommendations to citizens about things that they can do to prevent potential future exposure(s). As a precautionary measure, if your property backs up to the highlighted area on the map below, DHEC recommends the following:, Do not walk in the drainage ditch behind the houses on Pecan Drive and the houses on Robin Hood Drive, or let children or pets play in the drainage ditch. Do not walk in or play in the dirt near the portions ofWilson's Branch and Huckleberry Creek highlighted in green below. Wash your hands before eating or sleeping, or caring for children. Wash your hands after playing or working in the yard.…, Residents are urged not to use Huckleberry Park until further notice., Huckleberry Park , Communities surrounding the former Burlington Industrial Fibers (James Plant) are served by a public water system. The contamination does not pose a risk to those who drink, prepare food, bathe or irrigate with water supplied by a public water system., The map below indicates where sediment samples were collected and analyzed for PCBs. Cheraw Cleanup MapCheraw Site: Response Actions
This webpage is no longer maintained. It may be useful as background information or to provide a historical perspective on a topic or project. , DHEC and EPA Response Actions, In fall 2015, DHEC began investigating in the Cheraw area around the former Burlington Industrial Fibers (James Plant) due to a concern about sludge-like material found in a nearby vacant lot. In February 2016, DHEC collected samples at the vacant lot at the intersection of Little John Road and Robin Hood Drive. Results found PCBs at concentrations above the EPA's Residential Regional Screening…, Additional sampling conducted in August 2016 found higher PCB concentrations, as well as some pesticides, in the ditch located between Pecan Drive and Robin Hood Drive., Homeowners/residents were notified of the results of samples taken in their yards., Following a third round of sampling in September 2016 to further define the area of contamination, DHEC requested assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA assigned an On-Scene Coordinator to evaluate the PCB contamination for a removal action. DHEC collected approximately 90 additional samples in November 2016. May 2, 2016 -, DHEC Expanded Pre-CERCLIS Screening Assessment, September 9, 2016 -, DHEC Preliminary Assessment, September 27, 2016 -, DHEC Site Inspection Report, Land sampling image Geoprobe image On December 30, 2016, the EPA officially notified DHEC that it had conducted an evaluation of the site for cleanup activities and was recommending the site be given priority for removal under the, Superfund Removal Program, . At this point, the EPA took the lead in the investigation and cleanup and began determining the most effective method(s) for minimizing the potential for future impacts to public health and the environment. December 30, 2016 -, EPA Letter to DHEC, In mid-February 2017, DHEC assisted the EPA with a detailed sampling of selected residential properties on Pecan Drive. Approximately 900 samples were collected. Results from this sampling have helped determine a cost estimate for cleanup. On April 25, 2017, the EPA signed an Action Memorandum for a removal action at the former Burlington Industries Cheraw Site. This memorandum serves as the…, EPA Action Memorandum for EPA-Lead Removal Action, The EPA established a tiered approach to categorizing properties for the removal action. Two tiers were established based on the magnitude of PCB concentrations measured in occupied residential properties. The initial action addressed the first tier of properties. Additional actions were planned to address the second tier of occupied residential properties. Additional properties were added as…, EPA Action Memorandum for PRP-Lead Removal Action, On October 16, 2017, the USEPA and Highland Industries, Inc. entered into an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Actions. These agreements cover additional removal actions that will be needed at the site to address PCBs in soil on the Highland Industries property, PCBs in soil and sediment in the drainage ditch, and PCBs in soil at Huckleberry Park. On November 22…, National Priorities List (NPL, also known as Superfund), EPA formally proposed the site for listing on the NPL in the January 18, 2018 Federal Register. On February 20, 2018, EPA held a public meeting to discuss the previous removal activities by EPA, the upcoming removal actions by Highlands, and the proposed listing on the NPL. The meeting was attended by approximately 50 residents. The site was formally added to the NPL in the May 15, 2018 Federal…, Photos from EPA-Lead Removal Action, Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Former-Burlington-Industries-Site image Additional information on the progress of the removal activities can be found in EPA's Pollution Reports (POLREPs):, EPA-Lead Removal Action POLREPs, Removal Site Evaluation and POLREP 1, - December 7, 2016, POLREP 2, - June 15, 2017, POLREP 3, - June 21, 2017, POLREP 4, - June 29, 2017, POLREP 5, - July 13, 2017, POLREP 6, - July 20, 2017, POLREP 7, - August 2, 2017, POLREP 8, - August 17, 2017, POLREP 9, - September 6, 2017, POLREP 10, - November 6, 2017, POLREP 11, - March 12, 2018, POLREP 12 (Final EPA-Lead), - April 19, 2018, POLREP - October 16, 2018, PRP-Lead Removal Action POLREPs, Time-critical Removal Action - (Initial POLREP), - March 12, 2018, POLREP 2, - April 17, 2018, POLREP 3, - May 29. 2018, POLREP 4, - August 10, 2018, POLREP 5, - September 26, 2018, POLREP 6, - December 5, 2018, POLREP 7, - December 12, 2018, POLREP 8, - February 19, 2019