Dear Friend,
 

On Tuesday, May 25th, the South Carolina Supreme Court will hold oral arguments on a case about a landfill permit that was modified to accommodate disposal of much more noxious waste, including coal ash, without any notice to Pickens County or its residents.

Watch our own environmental champion Amy Armstrong make her case on behalf of Pickens County. Details below:  

WHAT:

Pickens County, Respondent, v. South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and MRR Pickens, LLC, Petitioners.

The permit modification was approved by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and would convert a basic “Class 2” construction, demolition and landscaping landfill into a lined landfill with a leachate collection system that can accept more serious wastes, such as coal ash.

DHEC agreed with the landfill company MMR Pickens LLC’s proposal to categorize these landfill modifications as “minor,” meaning that no public notice or opportunity for public comment and hearing was provided. When Pickens County found out about the permit modification, months after it had been mailed to just the landfill company, the County filed suit along with adjacent property owners.

WHO:

Amy Armstrong, the Executive Director of the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, will request that the Supreme Court affirm the Court of Appeals’ January 8, 2020 decision that DHEC evaded the required public notice and comment prior to modifying the landfill permit. 

WHEN:

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 11:30 a.m.

HOW:  

A livestream can be accessed when court is in session via the link below: 

https://www.scetv.org/live/supreme-court-south-carolina 

 

Wish Amy luck! 

Sincerely,

Lorraine Chow

Communications Specialist