Posted on March 12, 2012 by Thomas Lavender
Two recent South Carolina Supreme Court decisions have addressed significant environmental regulatory issues. In the Smith Land decision which dealt with state regulation of discharges into isolated wetlands (“waters of the State”), the court held that there is a private cause of action to enforce the provisions of the South Carolina Pollution Control Act (“PCA”)1. In the Sandlands decision which involved a certified question from the federal district court, the South Carolina Supreme Court held that the state’s Solid Waste Policy & Planning Act (“SWA”) did not preempt local government flow control2. Each of these issues has been addressed in prior blogs (1, 2), although the outcome of the certified question on the flow control matter had not yet been determined.
Several pieces of legislation pending in the South Carolina General Assembly respond to these decisions and the issues they address.
House Bill H.4654 and its companion Senate Bill S.1126 would amend the PCA to identify those activities which require, or do not require, a permit under the Smith Land decision. The bills also preclude a private cause of action to enforce the provisions of the PCA. The House version of the bill cleared the House Agriculture subcommittee and committee with overwhelming support and is now on the House calendar for consideration. These bills enjoy considerable support from the regulated community.
Two other bills address the question of whether state law preempts local government flow control following the Sandlands decision. Senate Bill S.514 and its companion House Bill H.4721 would amend the SWA to prohibit local ordinances that preclude solid waste disposal facilities, regardless of location. The House version has also cleared the House Agriculture subcommittee and committee with nearly unanimous support and is pending on the floor of the House for consideration.
In each instance, the General Assembly clearly appears to be reacting to the Smith Landand Sandlands decisions in an effort to give meaning to its legislative intent. Time will tell whether the proposed amendments will be enacted into law as the Legislature moves through its last year of a two-year Session.
1 Georgetown County League of Women Voters v. Smith Land Co., 393 S.C. 350, 713 S.E. 2d 287 (2011).
2 Sandlands C&D, LLC v. County of Horry, 394 S.C. 451, 716 S.E. 2d 280 (2011).
Tags: flow control, wetlands, solid waste