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Take Action this Summer

Summertime is in full-swing. The legislature is out. Tourists are here. Vacations begin. It is the time when South Carolina’s rivers, lakes, mountains, and beaches work overtime. For CVSC staff, this is when we get to spend our weekends and vacations outside and remember why we work so hard to protect the SC we all love.

But our work doesn’t stop at CVSC. As you navigate the hustle and bustle of vacation and summer adventures, we hope you won’t stop taking action to protect the air land and water you love.

To make it easier, we’ve set up an Air, Land, and Water Action Center with state and federal actions so you can continue to take while you’re on the move. You can also sign up to join us on a legislative home visit this summer or fall with your state legislators.

Apart from the Action Center, here’s a more detailed rundown of what’s going on at the State House and in DC and opportunities for you to make your voice heard.

State Legislative Update:

  • Our lobbyist, Rebecca, has finished her rundown of what happened at the State House this Year. Read more here.
  • Governor McMaster vetoed a proviso in the budget that would have diverted $6.6 million away from the Conservation Bank, and stressed the need to reauthorize the Bank in 2018 because of the important role it plays in the state’s tourism economy. Read his full veto message here.

Weigh in on Seismic Testing and Offshore Drilling:

  • The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is still receiving comments on offshore seismic testing. The comment period on seismic testing was extended two weeks until July 21. Submit comments today to stop these underwater cannons from harming marine life as they look to open our coast to offshore drilling.
  • The threat of offshore drilling continues. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has initiated development of a new 5-Year offshore drilling plan to allow drilling in the Atlantic and other areas. Last Year, your voices kept the Atlantic out of the 5-Year plan. Please, raise your voice again to speak out against offshore drilling. You have until August 17 to submit comments.
  • We continue to have support from our state and elected officials in our opposition to offshore drilling. Governor McMaster recently came out against seismic testing, sharing in Beaufort quite simply “I don’t support it.” Thank Governor McMaster for his opposition to both offshore drilling and seismic testing here.
  • Rep. Sanford has also continues to be a national leader in the fight against offshore drilling. Recently, he submitted a letter along with Rep. Clyburn and other congressmen asking the Dept. of the Interior to halt the permitting process for seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean.

Land Protection Efforts Pick up Steam:

  • The federal comment period to protect our national monuments ended earlier this week. With over 2.5 million comments submitted, a recent analysis says that 98% of comments supported keeping or expanding national monument designations. Thank you for helping us protect our these special places.
  • Rep. Sanford and Sen. Scott recently introduced bills to designate Fort Sumter and Moultrie as a National Park. Scott said in a statement: “It is so important that we preserve these special places, so they can be enjoyed and appreciated for generations to come.” We couldn’t agree more. 

Please take action on these issues at our new Action Center and enjoy the rest of your summer in the SC outdoors.

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