DHEC rarely denies water quality permits

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s environmental agency has not denied a water quality permit to anyone so far this year.

The Greenville News reports (http://grnol.co/vSfND6 ) that 151 applications for permits were approved from January to September this year.

The only one initially denied by the Department of Health and Environmental Control was the project requested by Georgia officials to dredge the Savannah River to help the port in Savannah. DHEC’s board accepted an appeal of its rejection, then approved the permit.

DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick says in most cases, applicants remove their requests if it appears to be in trouble because they don’t want it denied. Myrick says 20 permits have been withdrawn in 2011.

Coastal Conservation League Executive Director Dana Beach says DHEC willingness to approve almost every permit is a problem.

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Information from: The Greenville News, http://www.greenvillenews.com