DHEC Environmental Affairs Director Myra Reece Named President of National Environmental Council of the States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2022 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Myra Reece, Director of Environmental Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), has been named the new president of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) and is expected to serve in this role until fall 2023. “Director Reece is a thoughtful and collaborative leader who has dedicated her…, said Michael S. Regan, Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. , ECOS is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders who work together to improve the capability of state environmental agencies to protect and improve human health and the environment of the United States of America. Myra Reece Headshot “We at DHEC recognize how valuable Myra’s leadership is every day for our great state, and we are proud…, said Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC Director., “She will bring years of experience in advocating for the protection and promotion of natural resources to the national conversation.” Reece, who has been serving as the vice president since fall 2021, is assuming the leadership role early as the previous ECOS president, Ben Grumbles of Maryland, has accepted the position of ECOS Executive Director. “I am excited to continue working with this…, said Reece., “We see first-hand how state government plays a critical role in working together with our federal partners and each other on environmental issues shaping the national conversation.” Reece has been with DHEC for more than 30 years, serving in regional offices, then as Chief for the Bureau of Air Quality before being named Director of Environmental Affairs in 2016. She has served in leadership…DHEC Plays Key Roles in Protecting the Public Before, During and After Hurricanes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 6, 2022 COLUMBIA, S.C. – As the 2022 hurricane season officially begins, the South Carolina Department of Health and Control (DHEC) reminds residents to be prepared for severe weather and also reminds residents of the key roles DHEC plays in helping our state prepare for, respond to, and recover from weather events such as hurricanes and tropical storms. While the…DHEC Continues to Monitor Smell, Odor Nuisances with Columbia-area Drinking Water
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2022 COLUMBIA, S.C. ― The color and taste issues in water from the City of Columbia, the City of West Columbia and the City of Cayce are the result of an algal bloom in the Broad and Congaree rivers. DHEC has sampled the rivers and confirmed the presence of algae-related compounds that are causing the taste and odor concerns., Testing found that while the levels detected are a nuisance, they are not a current health concern. , DHEC has been working with the water systems on actions to correct the problem, and DHEC is ensuring that any treatments the facilities use to address the algae-related compounds are approved for use in drinking water systems. DHEC will continue to work with the drinking water systems as well as monitor the situation. The City of Columbia issued this statement as an update on June 2. ###During National Dam Safety Awareness Day, DHEC Spotlights the Essential Work of its Dams & Reservoirs Safety Program to Help Protect Lives, Property and the Environment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2022 COLUMBIA, S.C. ― In South Carolina, the S.C. Dams and Reservoirs Safety Act is the basis of the safety standards that are in place today to help reduce the risk of dams or reservoirs failing and potentially injuring people or destroying property or the environment. The South Carolina Department of Health of and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) Dams &…, 2,300, dams across the state. Under state law, dam owners are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of their dams. DHEC performs routine inspections and classification checks on dams, and inspectors share their assessments with dam owners as well as any recommendations or requirements that need addressed to ensure a dam meets all safety standards. DHEC inspector at dam “We work very…, said Jill Stewart, Director of DHEC's Dam Safety and Stormwater Permitting Division., “The overwhelming majority of regulated dams in our state – about 88 percent – are owned by individual people or homeowners’ associations. Owners of high- and significant-hazard dams are required to have an Emergency Action Plan, which is reviewed by DHEC, that contains a detailed plan of the steps and notifications that will be taken if a particular dam becomes at risk for failing.” While DHEC…, Stewart said., “When a hurricane looms, our inspectors are boots on the ground working to make sure dams are in the best condition possible for withstanding severe weather.” In addition to dam inspections, DHEC reviews the plans and specifications that are required to be submitted to the agency before a dam can be built, altered, repaired, or removed to ensure those actions comply with safety laws and…DHEC Reminds South Carolinians to Swim Safely this Summer at Pools, Lakes and Beaches
FOR IMMEIDATE RELEASE: May 23, 2022 COLUMBIA, S.C. ― In recognition of Healthy and Safe Swimming Week (May 23-29), the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reminds South Carolinians how important it is to practice safe swimming when enjoying a private or public pool, lake, river, ocean, hot tub or splashpad. The week before Memorial Day, which is considered by…, said Kevin Poore, program coordinator with DHEC’s Division of Injury and Substance Abuse Prevention and Director of Safe Kids South Carolina., “Another important step people can take is to prevent germs from getting into public swimming areas by not entering the water if you’re sick with diarrhea and taking kids on regular bathroom breaks and checking diapers. People can get very sick if they swallow just a mouthful of contaminated water.” The CDC and DHEC also recommend the following tips:, Pools and hot tubs, When you first arrive at a pool, take a rinse in the shower, then dry off and apply sunscreen. The amount of dirt and oil on your skin can throw off the balance of chemicals in the water keeping you safe. Don’t go to the bathroom or let children go to the bathroom in a pool, and try not to swallow any water. Germs in the water can make people sick if they swallow just a mouthful of contaminated…, Beaches, lakes, rivers and streams, Use the CheckMyBeach webpage or DHEC’s Beach Monitoring webpage for any long- or short-term swimming advisories due to elevated bacteria levels in ocean waters. DHEC monitors ocean water quality at more than 120 locations along South Carolina’s beaches. South Carolina lakes, rivers, streams and the coast are great places to cool off, but there is always a potential risk when swimming in natural…International Day of Action for Rivers: Take Action with SC Adopt-a-Stream
International Day of Action for Rivers celebrated on March 14 is a day to celebrate people coming together around the world to say that rivers matter and take action to promote clean waterways. One group that promotes education and action for clean waterways is South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SC AAS). SC AAS is a partnership program between South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental…, E. coli, bacteria counts. Volunteer data is used for screening purposes, decision making, STEM education, grants, MS4 permit compliance and watershed management plans. This helps communities protect and restore our beautiful waterways. Volunteers, through monthly monitoring, have identified problems such as water and sewer line breaks, sediment runoff and illegal litter dumping. Looking forward into…, www.scadoptastream.org, .,DHEC Recognizes Officers for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
January 9, 2023, is , National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, , and we’re taking the opportunity to recognize our law enforcement agents that work to stop the diversion and abuse of controlled substances and protect our state’s environment. DHEC thanks these men and women for the dedication, service and commitment to the rule of law they display every day. The agency has two law enforcement units: Healthcare Quality, Bureau of Drug Control Environmental…, Healthcare Quality Bureau of Drug Control, DHEC’s Bureau of Drug Control (BDC) serves a regulatory role as well as provides enforcement of the South Carolina Controlled Substances Act. These agents are pharmacists who have undergone additional training through the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy to become state law enforcement officers. They conduct onsite inspections and audits of pharmacies, hospitals, and practitioners to make sure they…, 542, criminal incidents and , 518, civil incidents Of those investigations, , 148 , involved healthcare practitioners Conducted regulatory inspections and And conducted , 135, controlled substance accountability audits. Agents work closely with local law enforcement, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation in their ongoing fight against the misuse of controlled substances. , Environmental Affairs Office of Law Enforcement, Officers and Investigators assigned to the Office of Law Enforcement are certified by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy as Class 1 Police Officers commissioned by SLED with statewide jurisdiction to conduct investigations, carry firearms, make arrests and execute and serve search warrants to gather evidence of these crimes. , Criminal Investigations, Special Investigators within the Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) investigate grossly negligent, willful and knowing violations of state and federal environmental criminal laws. Investigations generally involve criminal violations of: The Hazardous Waste Management Act, Pollution Control Act, Solid Waste Policy and Management Act, State Safe Drinking Water Act, Infectious Waste…, Shellfish Sanitation Program, The Shellfish Sanitation Program is a health and environmental protection program with three primary responsibilities: classification of the waters used for the growing and cultivating of molluscan shellfish, certification and inspection of facilities that process and distribute shellfish, and patrol those areas that are determined to be unsuitable for the harvesting of shellfish. The 10-…, 18, complex criminal investigations, Conducted , 22 , shellfish related illness investigations, Collected , 5,568, water quality samples, Conducted , 2,112, law enforcement patrols, Made , 1,291, contacts with the public, Issued , 74, tickets and , 86 , dealer permits, Answered , 180, intra-agency calls for assistance, Conducted , 132, facility inspections, and Attended , 43, court hearings. DHEC officers also work closely with counterparts in the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.Dam Safety Awareness Day: Meet Members of our Dam Safety Team
May 31 is , National Dam Safety Awareness Day, . This observance offers a chance to highlight , DHEC’s Dam Safety Program, , its growth, and a few of its members. dam photos, 2015 , In October of 2015, 26 inches of rain fell in five days. The result was the failure of more than 50 regulated dams in 11 counties. This was taxing on the small staff of the Dam Safety Team. Through the diligent support of committed DHEC volunteers from other program areas within the Bureau of Water, Air Quality, Land & Waste Management, and Environmental Health Services, along with a team of…, Today , The Dam Safety team now features 16 staff members working in seven offices across the state, which allows the program to not only focus on routine tasks such as inspections, permitting, and responding to dam safety incidents, but to also develop tools to help dam owners and first responders to include: Emergency Action Plans for High & Significant Hazard Dams Development of Dam Failure…, Team Members , Each of the members of the Dam Safety Program brings a unique background and set of skills to the job, and we wanted to spotlight three of them in recognition of National Dam Safety Awareness Day. , Jared Woodard, Regional Dam Safety Engineer Florence , Jared Woodard was born and raised in Columbia. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. Jared is an Eagle Scout and said he enjoys the occasional game of quidditch. , “I have always enjoyed the outdoors and the conservation of our ecosystem due to my involvement in Scouting,” , he said., “I enjoy working in the Dam Safety Program due to the ability to be outdoors meeting new people.” , Jared also said he has enjoyed learning about dams, inundation modeling, and all the program areas of DHEC. , Dani Felkel, Regional Dam Safety Engineer Orangeburg , Dani Hallman Felkel is a 2014 graduate of the University of South Carolina’s Mechanical Engineering Program. She began her career with DHEC’s Orangeburg Environmental Affairs office in January of 2015 as the first of six full-time regional dam safety engineers, as well as spending five years as a member of the Orangeburg office’s Environmental Response Team. In her time with the Dam Safety…, “My favorite thing about working with the program is the time spent out of the office visiting new places and the opportunity to meet and get to know the dam owners in my area,” , she said., , , Sam Johnson, Environmental Health Manager, Bureau of Water Dam Safety , Sam Johnson is from Lexington and a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BS in Biology and an MS in Earth and Environmental Resource Management. , “I enjoy working in the Dam Safety Program because of the flexibility to work on a variety of projects in both the office and the field,” , he said., “I’ve also enjoyed learning to use new bathymetric surveying and drone technologies that will help improve our understanding of our dams and the risks they pose.”DHEC Marks Drinking Water Week (May 1-7)
It’s , Drinking Water Week (May 1-7, 2022), and an excellent opportunity to highlight the men and women around the state that work diligently every day to make sure that the state’s drinking water supply remains safe. This includes DHEC staff members from the , Bureau of Water , and the , Bureau of Environmental Health Services, as well as the managers and operators of the , 2,534 public water systems, serving , 4.4 million people, in South Carolina. Safe and plentiful drinking water can be easy to take for granted, but in reality, it takes the combined efforts of thousands of drinking water professionals across the state to make sure the water flows daily and remains safe for all its intended uses (drinking, bathing, etc.). On the front lines are public water system operators who are often called upon to work…DHEC Celebrates Air Quality Awareness Week
Air Quality Awareness Week (AQAW) 2022 has been designated as May 2 – May 6. AQAW corresponds with ozone season, wildfire season, and World Asthma Day. The theme for AQAW 2022 is “Be Air Aware & Prepared.” The daily topics include: Monday – , Wildfires & Smoke, – Learn how to protect your health if exposed during a wildfire. Tuesday – , Asthma and Your Health, – Find resources and information about asthma. Wednesday – , Citizen Science & Sensors, – Learn about personal air sensor monitoring and citizen science through this Air Sensor Toolbox. Thursday – , Environmental Justice & Air Quality, – Learn about how some are disproportionately impacted by air pollution, including those low-income communities. Friday – , Air Quality Around the World, – Get the real time air quality index around the world. Celebrate this week by doing your share to spare the air! Use electric powered lawn equipment. Keep your vehicle maintained to reduce emissions. Combine trips and errands. Park instead of waiting in line at drive-through windows to reduce idling time. Telecommute or work a flex schedule if possible. For more information about…, State Air Trends & Successes: The StATS Report, .