Monday letters: SC Pollution Control Act protects us

Lobbyists for powerful business interests are pushing yet another attempt to undo citizens’ rights to protect our communities from longstanding illegal pollution under the S.C. Pollution Control Act .

In 2013, Santee Cooper agreed to remove coal ash stored in unlined ponds at its Grainger plant beside the Waccamaw River. This led to settlement of lawsuits filed by the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, Coastal Conservation League and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, which had challenged ongoing unlawful discharges of arsenic and other contaminants into state waters in violation of the act.

The settlement agreement thwarted an effort by the utility to leave the coal ash in the middle of wetlands near the center of Conway, threatening the river and its communities forever. Once Santee Cooper decided to recycle its coal ash, it acknowledged the decision was a “triple win” for its customers, the environment and the local economy. And the agreement had a ripple effect, causing the utility to announce removal of ash from its ponds in Georgetown and Moncks Corner, thereby protecting those communities from coal ash pollution.

Clearly, citizen enforcement of the Pollution Control Act led to a great outcome for South Carolina. The citizens of Conway and Horry and Georgetown counties all benefited, protecting our right to fishable, swimmable and drinkable water for the nationally recognized Waccamaw River and boosting our economy at the same time.

It would be unconscionable to undermine the Pollution Control Act. Let’s make sure we keep our right to protect our clean water and our communities.

River Advocate

Winyah Rivers Foundation

Conway

This story was originally published April 5, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Monday letters: SC Pollution Control Act protects us."