Effects of the SWANCC and Rapanos Supreme Court Rulings on South Carolina
- Aileo Weinmann
- Feb 17, 2010
This report provides an overview of the waters at risk in South Carolina and documents two specific cases in South Carolina where important waterways have lost basic federal pollution protections or been placed at risk because of the confused state of the law. Included among these are a large coastal wetland in the Murrells Inlet area in Horry County (known as the “Spectre Wetland”) and almost 500 acres of wetlands in the Black Tom Bay area in Berkeley County (known as the “Pine Hill Tract”) that eventually feed into Charleston Harbor. Protection of coastal and headwater wetlands such as those highlighted in the report will be particularly vital for the ability of people and wildlife to adapt to impacts from climate change such as rising sea levels and more intense precipitation events.
South Carolina Waters and Wetlands
Compiled by the National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and Trout Unlimited, the reports identifies case studies where the loss of Clean Water Act protections has put local waters in South Carolina at risk for pollution, unrestricted drainage, and destruction.
