State senators tweaked a bill to suspend the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s authority over the Savannah River on Wednesday. (Photo/Provided)

By Matt Tomsic
mtomsic@scbiznews.com
Published Feb. 2, 2012

State senators tweaked a bill to suspend the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s authority over the Savannah River on Wednesday, sending it back to the House.

Sen. Paul Campbell Jr., a Republican lawmaker from Goose Creek, proposed amendments to specify the powers of the Savannah River Maritime Commission and DHEC’s authority over the Savannah River.

The maritime commission has authority for the Savannah River’s role as a waterway for container and commerce ships, while DHEC retains control of the river for any decisions not related to navigability, depth, dredging, wastewater and sludge disposal, according to the amendments.

Campbell’s amendments also specified the maritime commission’s authority for the permit submitted by the Army Corps of Engineers and approved by DHEC for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, which could deepen the Savannah River to 48 feet.

The amendments and bill passed 37-0.

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The House introduced the amended bill today and referred it to committee.

The bill suspends all DHEC decisions since 2007 concerning navigability, depth, dredging, wastewater disposal, sludge disposal and collateral issues on South Carolina’s portion of the Savannah River.

The resolution notes that the Savannah River Maritime Commission supersedes DHEC’s authority for the river. It also says DHEC violated the maritime commission’s authority by granting a water permit to the Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project.

South Carolina lawmakers have criticized DHEC’s permit approval and the harbor expansion, citing concerns about environmental impacts and the impact of the project on the Jasper Ocean Terminal, a proposed port development also on the Savannah River.