Tag: Public Meeting

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Another Sand Mine is Coming To Dorchester – Sign the Public Hearing Petition

Sand Mine

DHEC has a new application for another sand mine and has made noting to the adjacent properties. The Moore Mine (Application for a Mine Operating Permit I-002398) is an 89.9-acre mine planed to a depth of 30 feet, with an included +-15 acres flagged as wetlands, located at the end of Moore Road, between Salem and Powder Horn Roads. The mine operations plan on pumping out water during mining into the wetlands draining to Halfway Gut Creek. Reclamation information indicates the mine pits (39.3 acres) will remain and be allowed to fill with water for future lakes or ponds. The site maps include possible “future home sites.” This mine will add even more sand truck traffic to Zion, Salem, Powder Horn, and Sandridge Roads.

You can review the DHEC permit information here (https://epermweb.dhec.sc.gov/ncore/external/publicnotice/info/-209032074109656397/details). You can post comments on the “Add Comments” tab of the DHEC site. However in order for the local community to express concerns in a public hearing, the statute requires the submission of a petition signed by a minimum of ten people.

I have created a downloadable or printable form to petition for a public hearing. Simply download or print the form (just select the download arrow or the printer icon below) and fill in the requested information on the form below. Then scan it with your computer, or take a picture with your phone of the completed form and email it to dprovenzanosc@gmail.com no later than Noon August 11, 2023. I need to compile the names and send them and the signed forms to DHEC by 5pm on that date.

Petition-for-Public-Hearing-DHEC-I-002398-Application-for-a-Mine-Operating-Permit-Moorer-MineDownload
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Dorchester Hopeful to Get Broadband! … Eventually

Dorchester broadband map

You should mark you calendars and make plans to attend the Dorchester County Community Meeting on 8/31/2022, at 6 pm, in the Woodland gym.

Rural broadband internet is finally coming to our area, but maybe not right away. Progress takes time I guess. The Eagle-Record recently published there will be a Dorchester County sponsored community meeting at the Woodland High School Gym on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, at 6:00 pm. The purpose of the county sponsored meeting is to provide a second update to affected area residents. Presenting and available for your questions will the two prime area provides, Home Telecom and Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC).

The Dorchester County Rural Broadband Project is intended to expand the high-speed internet access in our area over the next three years. Project details, including information on our town of Dorchester (South Dorchester), is listed in the Dorchester County Rural Broadband Project web site. This project is being funded with $8.5 Million dollars of taxpayer monies in the form of federal grant funding and with additional matching funds from both Home Telecom and PRTC in order to get the fiber cable installed to provide the needed broadband internet to over 4000 rural homes currently without high speed internet.

Plan ahead! A dinner meal will be provided if you register ahead of time by calling Tracy Langley, Clerk to Council, at 843-832-0196.

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Oakridge Landfill Is Looking For Approval To Grow Again

Oakridge Landfill Location

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) is reviewing another expansion application from the Oakridge Landfill. Reported in The Eagle Record on October 21, 2021, the landfill wants to expand again, this time both horizontally and vertically. The landfill wants to add about 58 acres and be able to stack trash to taller than 350 feet, higher than the elevation of the state capital, Columbia. This would likely becoming the highest point of land in the low country.

While not yet approved, the landfill’s application for additional growth has passed SCDHEC’s initial quick review of the technical aspects of the permit. The process is now open for public comment and SCDHEC is taking written comments or requests for a public meeting until November 19, 2021. If there is enough public interest, they may hold a public meeting to explain the process and receive additional comments.

Oakridge Landfill Expansion
Oakridge Landfill Expansion

You can find the Public Notice of the Proposed Lateral Expansion at the Oakridge Class 3 Landfill here.

You can review all of the public notice permit details (including submitted site drawings showing the proposed growth) here.

The state landfill regulations can be reviewed here.

You can contact SCDHEC to make a comment now (until 11/19/2021) by sending a letter to
DHEC/BLWM-SWPMS
Attention: Justin Koon
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
or you can call Justin Koon at (803) 898-1339
or email him at koonjt@dhec.sc.gov

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Pineland Sandmine DHEC Public Meeting

Pineland Sandmine DHEC Public Meeting & Comment Period. I would like to thank everyone in the community who was able to call-in to the DHEC virtual Public Meeting last night. Many great questions were asked and issues expressed.

If you were not able to attend, the meeting was recorded and DHEC indicated they would post the recording today or early next week on the web-site linked below. Please share with interested parties.

DHEC is still accepting public comments through early August. Written comments on the mine operating permit application should be submitted by e-mail or US Mail to:

Mason Brandes, Project Manager
DHEC Bureau of Land and Waste Management
2600 Bull Street Columbia, SC 29201
Email: brandemd@dhec.sc.gov

A final decision on the mine operating permit application will not be made until after review and consideration of all written comments received. I would encourage everyone to review the materials (and public meeting recording when posted) also on the web-site linked below. Included are the permit applications, the mining maps, the post-mining reclamation plan, and a host of other documents.

https://www.scdhec.gov/environment/ongoing-projects-updates/pineland-mine

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