South Carolina Environmental Law Project

Need Our Help? Did you know you could submit a Help Request anytime, directly from the #SCELP website? If you are interested in our services for an environmental problem affecting you or your community, fill out this form. https://lnkd.in/eZRACM3A

From updates on our Pine Island case to the upcoming RIDE IV Transportation Tax vote in Horry County, this month’s e-news is full of important information for our supporters! ?? Sign up for our monthly e-news here: https://lnkd.in/gnyhX7zQ. You’ll get the latest SCELP news sent right to your inbox! #SCELP #ForTheWildSide?

Meet Justice Wehrmeyer, one of our fall interns! ?? Justice is from Fort Mill, South Carolina and is currently a rising senior at the College of Charleston. Majoring in Communications and minoring in Environmental Sustainability & Studies, Justice plans to attend law school post-graduation so she can pursue a career in environmental law consulting. She is excited to intern at SCELP this fall semester and is particularly interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at what practicing law looks like locally. In her spare time, Justice likes to go for walks, go thrift shopping and get coffee with friends. #SCELP #ForTheWildSide?

Mountville, a small community in Laurens County,?already has 57 industrial poultry barns within a 4-mile radius, and now the Department of Environmental Services (DES) has approved an additional 16 barns in the area. These barns will house over half a million chickens, producing 3,220 tons of manure that is likely to flow into the Little River – which is part of the Saluda River watershed and already contaminated by fecal coliform. On behalf of South Carolinians for Responsible Agricultural Practices (SCRAP), we are taking action by challenging the DES decision to permit these new farms. “SCRAP and its members understand the value of agricultural operations and their presence in this rural community, but poultry farming practices and permitting need to be compatible with the surrounding residential community and must not impair the natural resources that make this place so special,” said our staff attorney Emily Poole.?“Challenging the permits at issue here allows SCRAP to continue fighting for the community they know, love, cherish and want to live in for generations to come.” Learn more about this case on our website: https://lnkd.in/eg5fJctG #SCELP #ForTheWildSide

We’re fortunate to have a couple of interns to help us with our work this fall! ?? Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Nagel. Victoria grew up in Boise, Idaho and moved to Charleston in 2005 to attend the College of Charleston. After graduating, she worked as a program coordinator for Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission before taking a leap of faith and going back to school to pursue her dream – environmental law. She is now in her third year at Charleston School of Law and is looking forward to polishing her research skills and learning how an environmental law firm operates. #SCELP #ForTheWildSide?

We are grateful for our Cypress Champion sponsors for Wild Side! ?? Your generous donations not only help us put on a wonderful event, they also support our work to protect South Carolina’s natural spaces. ???? Interested in being a sponsor? Still need to buy your Wild Side tickets? Visit our website for more information: https://lnkd.in/ei6eXC7V #SCELP #ForTheWildSide?

Less than one month until Wild Side! ?? We need all hands on deck when throwing this wonderful event, and our volunteers are a critical part of making this night a success. We’ll need volunteers for different tasks throughout the evening. If you’re interested in helping out, please fill out this form: https://lnkd.in/eNn-w-6P #SCELP #ForTheWildSide?

Do you want to use your legal expertise to help protect the irreplaceable, unique places that make South Carolina so special? We are searching for a Staff Attorney with at least three years of professional experience to join SCELP's legal team. With offices in Columbia, Charleston, Georgetown and Greenville, the location for this role is flexible. Learn more about the role here:?https://lnkd.in/dsMCqgWf

We are gearing up for another fabulous Wild Side event! If you'd like to join us, purchase tickets here: https://lnkd.in/eEqnBHKv

An astounding nine EPA-designated contaminated sites are located within a four-mile stretch of Aiken County, as well as several existing landfills and dumps. In July, Hilltop C&D LLC secured a permit for a new 293-acre landfill called Rabbit Hill to be sited in the Bath/Burnettown area. This landfill would be adjacent to an existing landfill, as well as Jefferson Elementary School. Earlier this week, on behalf of the nonprofit Friends of Horse Creek Valley, we filed a challenge to this permit in Administrative Law Court. A successful outcome could set an important precedent, protecting communities from permit loopholes that have the potential to negatively affect their health, environment and quality of life. Learn more about the Rabbit Hill Landfill case: https://lnkd.in/eCDBN6zR #SCELP #ForTheWildSide