Environmental groups are asking the S.C. Administrative Law Court to reconsider state permission for four beach house owners in DeBordieu Colony to keep sandbags in front of their houses indefinitely.

The South Carolina Environmental Law Project sent a letter to the court March 8 asking it to hear the case.

In January, the board of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control approved the move under the premise that the bags would be studied in a research project after a sand-replacement project this year covers them. Staff at DHEC had previously declined the request to keep the bags.