A concurrent RESOLUTION

TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL services' division OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS TO IMPROVE THE TIMELINESS OF COASTAL ZONE PERMITTING AND CERTIFICATION PROCESSES.

Whereas, the coastal management program within the Department of Health and Environmental Control's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has managed South Carolina's ocean and coastal resources since 1977. Effective July 1, 2024, the Department of Environmental Services' Division of Coastal Management shall be charged with those management responsibilities; and

Whereas, the state's coastal zone has experienced development at an unprecedented pace; and

Whereas, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has attempted to keep pace with the demands of mandated permitting, certification, and enforcement responsibilities; and

Whereas, these processes now seem overwhelmed and require inordinate amounts of time to render decisions; and

Whereas, property owners requiring permits and certifications deserve timely processing of requests for permits and certifications.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request that the Division of Coastal Management take administrative actions to reform the permitting and certification processes to be more efficient and respond in a timely manner to the business community and private citizens of this State; and

Be it further resolved that the Division of Coastal Management is encouraged to coordinate regulatory efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other bureaus within the Department of Environmental Services to eliminate duplication in the permitting process and to promote and prioritize the issuance of general permits and certifications as is the practice of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and

Be it further resolved that the members of the South Carolina General Assembly request that the Division of Coastal Management file a report of administrative changes made to its regulatory processes with the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee by January 14, 2025; and

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the District Engineer for the Charleston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Director of Environmental Services of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Director of the Department of Environmental Services, and the Governor's office.

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