[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


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        TD                        Carolina
        171 .3
        .S6
        Q35                          E C                         ... Promoting Health,
                              M and Envinonrn'@ntal Control      Protecting the Environment
        1996




         A Message from the Commissioner

             Under the leadership of Governor David Beasley and former Governor Carroll Campbell, South
         Carolina has made progressive strides toward meeting its long-term goals of preserving our environ-
         ment, protecting public health and promoting strong economic development through well-managed                                                we intend to
         growth.                                                                                                                                   continue documenting
             To improve the focus of environmental protection efforts, the S.C. General Assembly, through its                                      our progress in pro-
         public mandate to restructure state government, combined the regulatory programs of the Land and                                          tecting the state's
                                                                                                                                                   vital natural resources
         Water Resources commissions and the former Coastal Council into the S.C. Department of Health and
                                                                                                                      4                            and the health of its
         Environmental Control. Since this effort began in July 1994, DHEC has made significant advances in                                        people.
         more efficiently providing environmental services.
             As part of an extensive self-examination, we developed a strategic plan to guide us on a unified road
         to improved services. Our strategic plan contains:                                                           Douglas E. Bryant
                                                                                                                        Commissioner
                 values to guide us on our mission toward improved customer service, increased teamwork and               SC DHEC
                 efficient use of applied scientific knowledge for decision making;

                                                                                                                                           177
                                                                                                                                                      'V
                 visions toward becoming more culturally competent, being a model of excellence in govem-
                 ment and encouraging local solutions to local problems; and

                                                                                                                                         I V.,
                 critical issues, including better communications, ensuring continued core public health services
                 during health care reform, preventing environmental and health problems, continuing to refine
                 the pennitting process, and unifying DHEC as an agency.
                                                                                                                                      kN.
                                                                                                                                         2.
             This publication is the first state-of-the-environment report issued by the new DHEC. Through
         similar reports to the Governor, General Assembly and the people of South Carolina, we intend to
         continue documenting our progress in protecting the state's vital natural resources and the health of its
         people while assisting South Carolina's economy.                                                                                       @T.
                                                                                                                                   "'k
             We promote and protect the
         health of the public and the
         environment.                                                      DHEC Mission Statement


                                    -South Carolina


                                                                       US Department of Commerce
                                    DHEC                               NOAA coastal services Center Libr
                                    Department of Health and Environmental Control 2234 South Hobson Avenue
                                                                       Charleston, SC 29405-2413





            State Officials:                                   Table of Contents                                                                          Acknowledgements
            David Beasley
            Governor                                           Quality of the Environment              ...................................... Page 3           "The Quality of the Environment" reflects the hard
            Robert L. Peeler                                                                                                                              work of all Environmental Quality Control staff whose jobs
            Lieutenant Governor                                Air  ............................................................................ Page 4   result in the high level of environmental protection we
                                                                                                                                                          enjoy in South Carolina. Thanks go to all the front-line
            Douglas E. Bryant                                  Land    ......................................................................... Page 6   staff who collect the data that allow us to peruse trends and
            Commissioner                                            Recycling       ........................................................... Page 6    pursue policy to preserve the state for future generations.
            SC DHEC
                                                                    Hazardous Waste            ............................................... Page 7          Specific thanks go to a committee of people in DHEC
            R. Lewis Shaw, PE                                       Superfund        .......................................................... Page 7    and the Bureaus of Environmental Quality Control who
            Deputy Commissioner                                     Emergency Response              ......................................... Page 8      collected, compiled and wrote the infori-nation that appears
            Environmental Quality                                   Infectious Waste          ................................................ Page 8     in this report. Thanks also go to all those who answered
            Control                                                 Mining and Reclamation                ................................... Page 8      last-minute questions, proofread and made suggestions that
            Board of Health                                                                                                                               improved the usefulness of this report.
            and Environmental
            Control                                            Water    ........................................................................ Page 9   Editor: Scott Reynolds, EQC Laboratories
            John H. Burriss                                         Surface Water         .................................................. Page 10
            Chairman                                                Groundwater          .................................................... Page I I    Graphic Design/Artwork: Gregg Glymph, Division of
            At-large                                                Drinking Water          ................................................ Page I I          Media Services

            William M. Hull Jr., MD                            Radiation      ................................................................ Page 12    Coordinator: Jan `]ffiten, Division of Media Relations
            Vice Chairman                                           Radon      .............................................................. Page 12
            5th District                                                                                                                                  Cover photo courtesy of the Department of Natural
            Roger Leaks Jr.                                    Environmental Quality Control                 .............................. Page 13       Resources
            Secretary                                               Pen-nitting      ........................................................ Page 13
            6th District                                            Compliance         ...................................................... Page 14
            Richard E..Jabbour, DDS                                 Facility Monitoring           .......................................... Page 14      Printing Information
            4th District                                            Enforcement        ..................................................... Page 15      Printed January 1996
            Cyndi C. Mosteller                                 Environmental Monitoring               ..................................... Page 16       Total Printing Cost         .................................................. $3,948
            1 st District
            Brian K. Smith                                     Future Challenges          .................................................. Page 17      Total Number of Documents Printed                      ........................  3,000
            2nd District
                                                               Information Resources             ........................................... Page 18      Cost Per Unit        .......................................................... $1.316
            Rodney L. Grandy
            3rd District                                       Environmental Quality Control Districts                     ............... Page 20
                    South Carolina
            PHEC
            Department of Health and Environmental Cnt@@l



          The Quality of the Environment
          in South Carolina
                                                                                                                                                      7V               411
              More than a decade of growing environmental awareness, sometimes as the result of costly tragedies, has made South
          Carolinians more conscious and conscientious about environmental issues than ever before. Chernobyl, Love Canal, Times
          Beach, Three Mile Island, Exxon Valdez - all of these are household names because of our exposure to environmental issues
          through the media. And, as a result, it is easy to become distracted by one event and forget that our environment needs attention
          every day.
              Environmental Quality Control - the DHEC deputy area that houses air, land and water programs - has the primary
          responsibility of protecting the environment both when accidents occur and more often when they don't. EQC:
              Z develops regulations that protect public health and the environment;                                                                            ot
              Z   issues permits to facilities to ensure safe operations;
                  maintains and operates an extensive sampling network that collects and examines the quality of our air and water;
              Z   inspects facilities to assure compliance; and                                                                                                                  010A.
                  offers technical assistance to local governments, industry, consultants, small businesses and individuals.

              EQC's efforts prevent the Chernobyls and the Love Canals from happening in our state. The data collected by the various
          program areas under EQC over the years is the best proof of the successes of citizens, industry and government in improving the
          quality of our environment.
              No longer do we rely on end-of-pipe, command and control technology; DHEC, industry and the public work together to                                     *J 0
          develop and promote pollution prevention methods that reduce or eliminate the production of wastes, lower costly treatment and                                 V
          disposal charges, and reduce the drain on natural resources. Examples of state and federal legislative initiatives that guide us in
          these prevention measures include the federal Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the 1984 Hazardous and
          Solid Waste Amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and, at the state level, the S.C. Solid Waste Policy and
          Management Act.
              The pollution prevention philosophy accounts for some
          reductions in total toxic emissions in the state. In 1994, the
          state saw a 5.3 percent drop in toxic compounds released by                 South Carolina Toxic Release Inventory
          major facilities over the previous year.                                            Annual Releases to Air, Land and Water
              We are committed to using rational methods and                      80
          scientific knowledge to provide answers and guide our                ca 70  -
                                                                                  60  -
          professional judgments. As our population grows, we must
          continue to look for methods to better define the state's            co 50  -
                                                                               16 40  -
          public health and environmental issues and to set priorities.        cn
                                                                               C  30  -
          We strive to communicate scientific infon-nation to the              .2 20
          public and to commit sufficient resources to support scien-             10
          tific disciplines within the agency. Our continuous self-                 0
                                                                                        1988    1989   1990    1991    1992   1993   1994
          evaluations and public input help ensure the continued
          improvement of our programs.




                                       A ir

                                           South Carolina enjoys some of the best air quality in the United States. We are one of a few states that currently meet all
                                       National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Meeting the standards is important to South Carolinians since clean air has a
                                       direct impact on our health, quality of life and the state's economy. Air pollutants covered by these standards include: ozone (0  3)1
                                       sulfur dioxide (SO 2) , nitrogen dioxide (N02)1 particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO) and lead (Pb).
                                           Sulfur dioxide represents almost half the total tonnage of air gaseous emissions released per year by industry. The amount of
                                       lead emissions in the state is insignificant when compared to the remaining air emissions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
                                       emitted from all sources comprise a significant portion of total air emissions.

                                                                            Ozone
               National Ambient Air Quality Standards               14
                                                                                The most prevalent air pollutant in the nation is ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone,
                                                                            which can be transported over great distances forms when gaseous emissions of VOCs and
                                                                            nitrogen oxides (NOx) interact in the presence of sunlight. Motor vehicle exhaust accounts
                                                                            for one-third to one-half of all ozone-forming pollution generated by human activities,
                                                                   A,,          The concentration of vehicles in our urban areas is a major contributor to elevated ozone
                                                                            levels. The total miles traveled in South Carolina in automobiles and trucks has increased 65
                                                                    1       percent from 1980 to 1994 while the state population has increased by only 19 percent. The
                                                                            impact of increased vehicle emissions and our hot, sunny summers has contributed to several
                                                                            violations of the national ozone standard 'in the last few years. Each of these violations
                                                                            represents an exceedance of the NAAQS for one hour. The average number of violations per
                                                                            year is still less than the air quality standard, but this occasional detection of an elevated
                 States in white meet all federal air quality standards
                                                                            concentration is a reminder of the need for continued efforts by DHEC and the citizens of the
                                                                            state.





                                           Air Emissions from Industry                   PM        J-1.11            Ground-level Ozone in South Carolina
                                              Based on tons emitted per year from
                                                    industrial sources.                  so,
                                                                                         NO,
                                                 (47.5%)
                                                                                     = VOC
                                                                                     = CO


                                                                               (5.2%)

                                                                                                     L
                                                                                                                Areas in brown indicate
                                                                                                                                 of
                                                                              (11.0%)                           higher concentrations
                                                                                                                ground-level ozone. Red
                                                                                                                             nd'cate
                                                                                                                           at'o ns of
                                                                                                                           'ne Red
                                                                                                                  counties have had
                                                                                                                                  OS
                                           (27.5%)                     (8.5%)                                  exceedances of the NAAOS
                                                                                                                concentration since 1993.



               Page 4





          Air Ouality

               Pollution control measures required by federal and state regulations enacted during the past 20 years have contributed to
          dramatic reductions in pollution concentrations in our air, most notably particulates (smoke and dust) and lead. Administration of
          federal air regulations has been delegated to South Carolina.
               The efforts of facilities to limit emissions have generally been very successful. More than 96 percent of the facilities are meeting
          or exceeding requirements. Three-quarters of inspections are of permitted facilities. Inspections of open burning, most often prompted
          by citizen complaints, have the highest percentage of violations. Improper open burning primarily adds to particulate concentra-
          tions. The asbestos inspections noted are of buildings where the asbestos is being removed or contained.
               Air quality is directly influenced by pollutant emissions, pollutant transport and weather conditions. Episodes of stagnant air
          masses, which can concentrate pollutants over a large area, are common in the southeast
          coastal plain centered in our state. Since these weather conditions are beyond our control,                 Air Compliance Inspections               Industry
          continuing to maintain good air quality in the state will depend in part on the willingness of                 Total Inspections Conducted 2,230
          South Carolinians to change the ways in which we live, work and play.                                                                                Asbestos
                                                                                                                                                          M Open Burning
          Tips to Prevent Air PoHution                                                                                (77.9%)
            Here are some no-cost, voluntary steps people can take to keep ozone levels down:
               @D  Refuel vehicles after 6 p.m.
               :Z  Avoid topping off gas tanks when refueling.
                   Make sure all vehicles, including lawn equipment and recreational vehicles, are well                                                    (13.7%)
                   maintained and work properly.
                                                                                                                                                  (8.4%)
                   When possible, combine all business, errand and recreational trips.
               :D  Try to take vehicle routes that reduce stop-and-go traffic.                                                          Nor=


              Air Compliance Rate                                                               Air Emissions from IndustrV
                   Emission Sources                 Sources in                                   Industry includes major and minor sources
                                                    Compliance                              100

                                                    Noncompliant
                                                                                         !D
                                                    Sources                                  75
                   (96.4%)
                                                                                         r
                                                                                         0

                                                                                             50


                                                                                         CL
                                                                                         W   25
                                                                                         C
                                                 (3.6%)
                                                                                             0 L
                                                                                                   Industry    Asbestos    pen Burning
                                                                                                                          0


                                                                                                Sources in Compliance   Violation Detected



             - -------- -------- - - - ------

                                                                                                                                                                  Page 5




          Top Five                                      Land
          Recycled Items
          Collected in                                        Land is plentiful in South Carolina, but the increasing need to use it for waste disposal has
          South Carolina                                prompted a greater call to reduce, reuse and recycle. Every day we generate and discard from                                                         Landfill Types
          during 1994                                   our homes and workplaces large amounts of materials that need safe disposal. This volume                                                             39     Municipal Solid
                                                        includes solid waste created at home and in businesses; hazardous wastes produced during                                                                    Waste Landf ills
          I .  Yard Waste                               industrial activities; infectious waste produced by hospitals and during medical procedures; and                                                            (8 of these landfills
               (141,111 tons)                           radioactive wastes produced by industries and power plants.                                                                                                 meet new, more
          2.   Construction          &                        Underground storage tanks are also having an impact on the environment as more and more                                                               stringent design
               Demolition                               older tanks are found to be leaking. Mining also impacts land use and must be regulated to                                                                  requirements)
               (50,073 tons)                            assure the land is restored after mining activities are completed.                                                                                  105     Construction
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and Demolition
          3. White Goods/                               Solid Waste                                                                                                                                                 Landf ills
               Scrap Metal
               (43,805 tons)                                                                                                                                                                                 60     Industrial Waste
                                                              The largest volume of waste produced is household solid waste. On average, each South                                                                 Landf ills
          4. Industrial Waste                           Carolinian is responsible for the creation of eight pounds of solid waste a day. About five-and-                                                     30     Local Govern-
               (40,623 tons)                            one-quarter pounds of this is municipal solid waste. The rest includes commercial, industrial,                                                              ment-Owned
          5. Newspapers                                 institutional and residential material.                                                                                                                     Landfills
               (28,210 tons)                                  In the past, almost every county owned and operated its own municipal solid waste landfill.                                                       9   Private Landfills
                                                        Now the implementation of new laws has increased the financial commitment required of
          For information on                            communities to improve environmental protection features, monitoring and operations of
          recycling opportuni-                          landfills. Almost half of the county-owned or -operated landfills are now closed. The other half might close because of a 1993
          ties, contact the                             law that requires landfills to have state-of-the-art design features to prevent environmental contamination. New laws are helping
          Office of Solid Waste                         curb the flow of waste into landfills, laws that prevent things like appliances, whole tires, and construction and yard debris from
          Reduction and                                 being buried in landfills and that encourage recycling and reuse of material. The state has set a mandate of reducing waste by 30
          Recycling at:                                 percent and recycling 25 percent of all waste by 1997.
          1-800-768-7348.
                                                                                                            Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

                        Used Oil Collected in South Carolina                                                        Recycling programs are growing in number and quality. In 1995, more than 1. 1 million
                                                                                                            tons of waste were recycled in South Carolina, more than double the 435,000 tons recycled in
                  700,000                                                                                   1994. In 1993, only 87,557 tons were recycled. This continuing increase in the amount of
                                                                  M,320 gallons 613,050 gallons             material being recycled can slow down the need for more land disposal space.
                  600,000   -------------------- ---------- --------
                                                                                                                    One reason recycling rates have increased is that more households have been offered
                  .00,000   -------------------- ----------          ---------- -------
                                                                 4U,073 gallons                             recycling collection. Thirty-six counties offer some curbside collection to more than 646,000
               o  400,000   -------------------- -----        -- ---------------------
                                                                                                            households. In addition, 41 counties have established almost 350 drop-off sites for more than
                  300,000   --------------------        -------------              ------
                                                   1 1                                                      847,000 households.
                                                      2S6,025 g.11  ..
                  200,000   -------                   ---- ----------------------                                   DHEC offers two grant programs to encourage waste reduction at schools and colle es:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               9
                  100,000   -------    - ------ ---------- --------------------
                                          40  ----
                                       441,1811
                                                      -----   -- ---------- ---------


                                                                      ...... ........
                                                        ------- -      ---------
                         0                                                                1                 :Z      The Environmental Education Grant Program supports public and private
                         1990        1991          1992       1993         1994           1995
                                     Sa.laacaow SC usaa, Oil                                                        school waste reduction programs and education activities. In fiscal year
                                     11 a        i"In"Ill,
                                        Usad     goo, l.t
                                     oilp'n's.     aff"t                                                            1995, 43 grants were awarded to 21 school districts and two private schools.

                                                                                                            Z       The Colleges and Universities Grant Program assists higher education institutions in
                                                                                                                    establishing or expanding recycling collection or education programs. Seven grants
                     Page 6                                                                                         were awarded last year to colleges and universities.





           Hazardous Waste

               Waste is a byproduct of society that can pose a threat to human health or the environment if
           it's not managed properly. About 10 to 15 percent of all waste generated in the United States is                              Hazardous Waste
           hazardous. Many home products create hazardous waste, including paint and paint thinners, car
           batteries, cleaners - even mothballs.                                                                          400
               Anyone who creates, transports, treats, stores or disposes of more than 220 pounds of                      350  -44 ------------------ ------------------
           hazardous waste a month in the state must notify DHEC, which maintains a tracking system of                   V) 300 ---                      ---------     Received
                                                                                                                         13
                                                                                                                         C                                             from Out
                                                                                                                         00 250 -------- --------- --------t           of State
           companies and the amounts and types of waste generated. The agency also must authorize any                                                   llk@
                                                                                                                         0                                         -   generated
           waste transports into or within the state.                                                                     200  -------- --------- ------------------
                                                                                                                                                                       in SC
               There are slightly more than 4,000 hazardous waste generators in South Carolina that                       150  --------------      ---- --         -   Shipped
                                                                                                                                                                       Out of
           produced 170,000 tons of waste (excluding wastewater) in fiscal year 1994. DHEC also                          12 100 -----------------------------          State
           maintains records on 366 permitted hazardous waste transporters carrying material to waste                     50                   -      ------------
           facilities. In South Carolina these facilities include Laidlaw Environmental's Pinewood hazard-                  0
                                                                                                                            1990    1991     1992     1993    1994
           ous waste landfill, incinerators in York (which closed in November 1995) and Spartanburg
           counties, cement kilns in Orangeburg and Dorchester counties, and one of seven treatment or
           recycling centers.

           Superfund

               Decades ago it was common practice to dispose of hazardous materials in unlined and                          State Superfund Sites Requiring Action
           uncontrolled landfills or simply on the ground out back. Today those practices still haunt us
           with hazardous groundwater and soil contamination.                                                             40
               Now we must locate these old dump sites and assess the damage that has been done or the
                                                                                                                                                                      31
                                                                                                                          30 -
           potential risk to the environment and public health. The worst ones get most of our attention                 0
                                                                                                                         0.                               23
                                                                                                                         M
           and resources.                                                                                                M41 20 -  18
               in addition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund, South Carolina has                   *6                   16
           a contingency fund used to clean up abandoned sites and to match federal funds for cleanup of                 E10                 25%
           sites on the federal priority list. The state fund is financed from fees on waste buried at                   Z
           Laidlaw's Pinewood landfill.                                                                                     0
                                                                                                                                Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year
               A Superfund cleanup is a time-consuming and complex process. It can take years and                                 1992        1993        1994       1995
           thousands of dollars to investigate, assess, rank, search for potentially responsible parties and                              Action Voluntarily Performed
           determine a safe and proper course of cleanup.                                                                                 by Responsible Parties
               A site will make the federal Superfund list if it ranks among those with the highest potential
           of human health or environmental risk. The state contributes 10 percent of the cleanup costs if
           there is no potentially responsible party conducting the cleanup. An increasing number of responsible parties, however, are
           performing cleanup at Superfund sites, reducing the drain on state and federal funds.
               More than 500 sites in South Carolina are awaiting or undergoing evaluation for inclusion on the federal or state list.
               Slightly more than $916,000 in contingency funds were spent in fiscal year 1995, up from $635,342 spent in fiscal year
           1994. The number of state Superfund sites requiring investigation or cleanup increased from 18 in fiscal year 1992 to a cumula-
           tive total of 31 in 1995.                                                                                                                               Page 7




        Mine Reclamation                                      Emergency Response
            Mining companies use a                                  Accidents involving hazardous and nonhazardous materials occur on the state's highways, at industrial sites and in the state's
        variety of reclamation                                waterways. DHEC's Emergency Response Section provides on-site consultation and monitoring of these events. The section also
        practices that protect and
        restore the environment for                           maintains a 24-hour emergency reporting system, oversees the emergency response contract at state Superfund sites, serves as the
        useful purposes. Mined land                           state source for Toxic Release Inventory information, investigates fish kills and makes sure the state's 490 registered terminal
        is reclaimed as grassland,                            facilities have Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure plans in place.
        pastureland, ponds and                                      In fiscal year '95, the section received 1,730 calls on the 24-hour line, the majority of which were to report petroleum spills.
        lakes, woodlands, wildlife
        habitats, recreational areas                          The unit received 1,676 calls in fiscal year 1994. This was an increase of 54 calls over the previous year. One-third of the year's
        and commercial develop-                               responses were to petroleum spills, and 23 fish kills were investigated.
        ments. To ensure the
        completion of the reclama-
        tion following mining, DHEC                           Infectious Waste
        currently has more than $19
        million in reclamation bonds                                Infectious wastes are materials generated in the health care community in the diagnosis, treatment, immunization or care of
        on file.
        :)More than half the 8,000                            human beings, or during autopsies or research. The Division of Infectious Waste oversees facilities that generate and dispose of
            acres of mined land that                          infectious waste. In 1995, 4,200 generators reported producing 18,860 tons a year (or 1,571 tons a month) of infectious waste.
            has been reclaimed in                             Most of it was disposed of at a North Carolina incinerator under contract that year to the S.C. Hospital Association. The rest was
            South Carolina is now                             disposed of in eight hospital incinerators throughout the state or went to other commercial incinerators including Chambers
            grassland.                                        Medical Technologies' Hampton County facility. Chambers burned 882 tons of in-state wastes in 1994, the most current year's
        :D Reclamation of mined                    land       figures available. About 23,000 tons of out-of-state waste were incinerated at the facility that year.
            can be influenced by
            regional and local geology.
            About 90 percent of                               Mining and Reclamation
            mining operations in the
            lower coastal plain are
            reclaimed to ponds and                                  The mining industry in South Carolina produced 14 mineral commodities                                                                    Mining in
            lakes because of the high                         during fiscal year 1995 with a total value estimated at $479 million (according to                                                             South Carolina
            water table.                                      the U.S. Bureau of Mines). South Carolina ranked first nationally in the production
        :)One kaolin mine was                                 and sales of ven-niculite and second in kaolin. Overall, South Carolina ranks in the                                                           Cominodity                            No. of Mines
            reclaimed as a municipal                          top 30 nationally in the value of all nonfuel mineral commodities produced.
            landfill. After the landfill                            The Mining and Reclamation Division coordinates with 280 mining companies                                                                Sand      ...........................................  185
            was closed, wells were
            drilled to recover meth-                          involved with 489 active mine sites. During the fiscal year, the division evaluated                                                            Sand/Clay Fill           ............................  110
            ane, a gas produced by                            37 applications for mining pen-nits, issued 38 new mining pennits, conducted 31                                                                Vermiculite          .................................... 37
            decomposing organic                               environmental appraisals and 999 mine inspections. A total of 8,077 acres of                                                                   Granite        ......................................... 34
            matter. The recovered                             inined land has been reclaimed for other uses since the start of the Mining and                                                                Kaolin        .......................................... 34
            methane is used as a fuel
            source to operate a kaolin                        Reclamation program. Approximately 70,000 acres are under permit throughout                                                                    Clay      .............................................. 25
            processing plant.                                 South Carolina.                                                                                                                                Limestone          ..................................... 19
        @DJ.M. Huber Corporation's                                  Gold mining returned to South Carolina in 1985 with the opening of the Halle                                                             Shale       ............................................ 12
            Richardson Kaolin Mine in                         Mine in Lancaster County. From 1985 through 199 1, four gold mines were estab-                                                                 Sand & Gravel              ............................. 16
            Aiken County received the                         lished in South Carolina. Production from these mines through 1995 has exceeded                                                                Sericite       ...........................................  6
            first National Mine Land                          I million ounces of gold. Currently, one mine remains in roduction. The remaining                                                              Manganese Schist                ..........................  4
            Reclamation Award                                                                                                                           p                                                    Gold      ...............................................   5
            presented by the Inter-                           three mines are undergoing closure and reclamation activities to restore the mined                                                             Peat      ................................................  I
            state Mining Compact                              land to other productive uses and to protect the environment and human health and                                                              Fuller's Earth           .................................  I
            Commission in 1987                                safety.
            (project photograph on                                                                                                                                                                           Total                                                  489
            back cover).




                Water

                     South Carolina's waters are not only a magnet for recreation, but may be the most vital of our natural resources. The condi-
                tion of water in our lakes, streams and coastal estuaries is a strong indicator of the environment's health. Clean water supports a
                diverse and vibrant plant and animal community below, on the surface and in adjoining land areas. Unseen but no less important
                are the underground aquifers that provide much of our drinking water. The impact of our activities on surface and groundwater
                affects our ability to safely use the waters for recreation, industry, agriculture and as a food and water source.
                     DHEC protects and manages these water resources and allocates and coordinates water quality activities using a watershed-
                based approach. A watershed is a geographic area into which the surrounding waters, sediments and dissolved materials drain. Its
                boundaries extend along surrounding topographic ridges. The state is divided into five major drainage basins - Savannah-
                Salkehatchie, Saluda-Edisto, Catawba-Santee, Pee Dee and Broad. The
                management strategy for one basin is reviewed each year so that
                no plan is older than five years.                                                                                   Greenville'              Cherokee                                                               South Carolina
                     Each basin requires a year of water quality monitor-                                                                                             I     York                                                    Watershed Basins
                                                                                                                           Pickens              Spartanburg
                ing followed by a year of data assessment and three                                           Oconee    :-                                 I
                years of implementation, including permitting activities                                                                                      Union        Chester        Lancaster"',,,  Chesterfield
                allowed in the basin. Water quality problems detected in                                                                                                                                                   Marlboro,,'
                the basin will be prioritized and addressed.                                                                Anderson             Laurens
                                                                                                                                                                             Fairfield                                               Dillon
                                                                                                                                                                                          r   Kershaw            Darlington   i
                     This watershed approach is effective because:                                                              Abbeville                     Newberry                                     Lee
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Marion
                                                                                                                                             Greenwood
                            Local level participation in watershed quality is increased;                                                                  Saluda                     Richland                              Florence
                                                                                                                                     McCormick                                                                                                    Horry
                                                                                                                                                                       Lexington                    Sumter
                            Water use plans are focused on water quality protection;                                                              Edgefield
                            The emphasis is on identifying water quality problems and                                                                       Aiken                       Calhoun         Clarendon       Williamsburg
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Georgetown
                            prevention;
                                                                                                                                                                                      Orangeburg
                            It allows the department to address congressional and legislative                                                                      Barnwell     Bamberg        Dorchester          Berkeley
                            mandates in a coordinated manner;
                                                                                                                                                                      Allendale
                     Z      It allows DHEC to better use current resources;                                                                                                  Hampton       Colleton
                            It improves communication between the department, the regulated community and                                                                                                 Charlestor
                            the public on existing and future water quality issues;                                                                                                                  @ @ W_                       = Broad
                                                                                                                                                                                 Jasper      Beaufort                             =      Catawba-Santee
                            It allows for more efficient issuance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination                                                                                                                     =      Pee Dee
                            System (NPDES) and state wastewater discharge pen-nits.                                                                                                                                               =      Saluda-Edisto
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  =      Savannah-Salkehatchie



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 9





                                                                   Surface Water
            Fish
            Consumption                                                   South Carolina has approximately 35,000 miles of rivers, 525,000 acres of lakes, and 950 square miles of estuaries. These
            Advisories                                             waters are classified to define the uses that must be protected and the minimum water quality standards. Of all assessed waters
               Toxic substances such                               - those that are routinely monitored - approximately 76 percent fully supported those uses (60 percent of rivers and streams,
            as mercury and polychlori-                             99 percent of lakes, and 71 percent of estuaries). Uses include support of fish and wildlife, domestic or industrial water supply,
            nated biphenyls (PCBs)                                 recreation, agriculture and navigation.
            persist in the environment
            and can accumulate in                                         The most commonly detected deficiency in rivers and streams is the amount of fecal coliform bacteria; in lakes the concentra-
            fish. When these pollut-                               tion of heavy metals, and in estuaries a lack of dissolved oxygen. The most common source of pollution is runoff that contains
            ants are detected at                                   contaminants and sediment.
            concentrations that should                                                                                                                                                     The majority of the state's 1, 100 square miles of coastal
            concern consumers, an
            advisory is issued. Forty-                                                                                                                                              shellfish growing waters are unconditionally approved for safe
            six states have fish                                                                                                                                                    shellfish harvesting. When water quality is acceptable, an
            consumption advisories in                                                           Surface Water Ouality                                                               additional 215 square miles can be opened. Typically, only 2
            effect.                                                                                       Assessed Waters                        Support of                         percent (21 square miles) of potential harvesting areas are
            Mercury - In South                                                                                                                Classified Use                        closed due to nearby marinas or discharges.
            Carolina, fish from 18                                                                                                                       Good
            rivers and nine lakes and                                                                                                                   Fair                               Long-term trends in many important water quality indica-
            ponds contain mercury at                                                                                                                                                tors show that water quality has been protected or improved for
            levels high enough to                                                                             (76%)                                      Poor                       the majority of South Carolina's waters. Significant reductions
            prompt human health                                                                                                                                                     in BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), nitrogen and phosphorus
            warnings and consump-
            tion advisories. if ingested                                                                                                                                            have been achieved through DHEC's NPDES (National Pollu-
            in large enough amounts,                                       (14%)                                                                                                    tion Discharge Elimination System) permitting efforts. The
            mercury can cause brain                                                                                                                                                 phosphate detergent ban, instituted by the SC Legislature in
            damage in adults and can                                                                                                                                                1992, has also contributed greatly to the reduction in phos-
            damage the brains of                                                                        (10%)
            developing fetuses. Thirty-                                                                                                                                             phor-us. Changes in land use development have led to increased
            nine states, including                                                                                                                                                  runoff and a decrease in the clarity of our waters. More than
            most of those in the
            Southeast and along the                                                                                                                                                 half the waters assessed have shown increased turbidity.
            Atlantic Coast, have
            issued consumption
            advisories for mercury.                                                                                                                                                           Trends in Selected Water Quality Parameters Since 1980
            The source of the mercury                                    Shellfish Harvesting Status                                               Approved                                                                (Percent of Miles Assessed)
            is not known but research                                                                                                              Restricted                                     Five-Day  T
            is being conducted                                                                                                                                                                         Boo                                                                               1.63
            throughout the Eastern                                                                                                                 Prohibited                                          Total
            United States. The                                                                                                                     Conditionally                               Phosphorus   +                                                                            3.49
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Total
            amount of deposition                                                                                                                   Approved                                        Nitroge                                                                               0.48
            through precipitation or                                                                             (67.2%)                                         _J                                         +
            from the air is being                                                                                                                                                              Suspende
            investigated by DHEC.                                                                                                                                                                    Solid. +
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Bacteria                                     W
            PCBs - The advisories                                         (13.1%)                                        A                                                                       Dissolved
            issued for Lake Hartwell                  in                                                                                                                                           Oxygen
            1976 and for Langley                                                                                                                                                                  Turbidity
            Pond in Aiken County in
            1986 remain in effect.                                                             (19.5%)              (.2%)                            Current as of                                                                                      4              1              _H
                                                                                                                                                 November 1995                                              0%           20%            40%            60%            80%            100%
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     improving     M No Change             = Degrading
                        Page 10





           Groundwater


                An emphasis on assessing potential sources of groundwater contamination over the past
           few years has led to the discovery of more than 2,500 contaminated sites by 1995 compared to                                         Underground Storage Tanks
           only 60 known in 1980. The increased awareness of the unique nature and value of our ground-                                                   Rernediation Activity
           water resources has led to requirements to better monitor the 19,000 registered underground                               12,000
           storage tanks in the state. Lengthy and expensive remediation efforts are required for the                                10,000   1995 Registered Tank Total   ------------------
           contaminated areas posing the greatest risk. Although underground storage tanks pose the                                  8,000        19,387 Active Tanks      ------------
           greatest risk, many activities can lead to contamination. Accidents, leaking lagoons or pits and                          6,000           20,837 Closed         -------
           landfills all contributed to contamination detected in 1994. Most instances of contamination
           involve petroleum products, primarily gasoline. Nonvolatile organic compounds or metals were                              4,000 ----------------------------------
                                                                                                                                     2,000 --------------------------
           involved in 15 percent of the sites. Contamination was most often found in the populated and
                                                                                                                                         0
           industrialized areas, primarily in the coastal counties (80 cases), the Columbia area (326 cases)                             1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
           and in the 1-85 corridor (403 cases).                                                                                                       Completed      = Initial Action
           Underground Storage Tanks                                                                                            L                      Confirmed Release   No Further Action

                DHEC no longer requires that all groundwater cleanups be performed to drinking water
           standards. Each release is evaluated to determine the level of risk it poses to human health and
           the environment. After each evaluation, the agency and the underground storage tank owner or operator can agree on site-specific
           cleanup levels.
                Many petroleum releases represent little or no threat, and no further action will be required. Some releases need to be moni-
           tored over time to verify the assumed risk and to confirm that the petroleum is breaking down naturally. A registry of all release
           assessment projects that have been concluded is being developed.
                This risk-based philosophy allows DHEC to focus its limited resources from the State Underground Petroleum Environmen-
           tal Response Bank (SUPERB) account on cleaning up those releases that pose a significant threat to humans or the environment.

           Drinking Water

                Of the state's 2,700 public drinking water systems, about 750 are community water systems that serve 78 percent or approxi-
           mately 2.8 million residents in cities, subdivisions, apartments and mobile homes. About 20 percent of state residents have
           private wells.
                There are 2,514 public water systems that draw groundwater as the sole source of water. Surface water - above-ground
           water such as in lakes and rivers - supply 56 public water systems. Eight public systems use a combination of the two, and 204
           systems buy water from other systems.
                                                                                                                                                                           ---- ---------







































                DHEC monitors public water systems for a variety of contaminants, including coliform bacteria that must be removed from
           surface water drinking sources and petroleum products that can reach groundwater from leaking underground storage tanks.
                Drinking water quality in South Carolina is exceptionally high. Of the state's 753 community systems, only I I violations of
           federal standards were recorded during fiscal year 1994-95. Four were for nitrates and seven for fluoride.
                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 11




         Monitored                          Radiation
        Facilities
                                                The use of radioactive materials affects the lives of South Carolinians every day. From medical use of x-rays to the power
         1 .VC. Summer                      produced at our four nuclear power plants, the responsible use and safe disposal of radioactive material is important today and in
            Nuclear Power Plant             the future.
         2. Oconee Nuclear                      The operations at 10 major facilities in the state range from production and fabrication to use for sterilization and power
            Power Plant                     production and on to final disposal. The potential for impact on air, land and water quality prompts the continual monitoring of
         3. Catawba Nuclear                 all possible pathways. Samples of air, water, soil, vegetation, fish and milk are collected throughout the state. Complicating the
            Power Plant                     analysis of these samples for the very low levels present are the traces of naturally occurring radioactive elements found in South
                                            Carolina's soil.
         4. H.B. Robinson                       Lessthan.1 percent of the more than 22,000 analyses performed last year detected radiation above any limits or guidelines,
            Nuclear Power Plant
                                            and none of those were due to man-made isotopes. Naturally occurring radon and radium were responsible in those few samples.
         5. Savannah River Site
         6. Westinghouse                    Radon
            Nuclear Fuel
            Fabrication                         Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is the second leading cause of all lung cancers and the leading cause of lung
         7. Charleston Naval                cancer among non-smokers. Indoor radon levels depend on many factors including how much radon is in the soil, how buildings
            Shipyard,                       are constructed, how well they are ventilated and even weather conditions.
            NS Savannah
                                                DHEC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have worked closely with Clemson University to develop a statewide
         8. Westinghouse Decon              radon program and a preliminary database of indoor radon levels. Two surveys detertnined that the highest concentrations of
            Facility, Isomedix,
            Bausch & Lomb                   radon in the state are in Greenville and the surrounding counties.
         9. Becton Dickinson,                   Generally, there are higher levels in the Upstate because there is more granite in the soil. While the Coastal Plain normally
            Sumter                          has the lowest levels, Charleston is an exception. The potential for higher radon concentrations there is due to a larger proportion
                                            of phosphate in the soil.
         10. Chem-Nuclear &                     Testing for radon can be simple and inexpensive. The two most common commercially available kits are charcoal canisters
            Carolina Metals                            and alpha track detectors. Firms can also measure
                                                          indoor radon. DHEC maintains a list of fintis that
                                         0                                 measure radon or provide consult-                    Average In-home Radon Concentrations
                                             u-                               ing set-vices. The statewide toll-                          Numbers are picocuries per liter of air.
                              A--                 Faidioid                        free radon hotline number is
                                                                                     1-800-768-0362 (in
                                                                                        Columbia 803-734-
                   Power                                                                4631).                                     Under 1.0
                                                                                                                                   1.0 to 1.9
                   Production                                                                                                 M 2.0 to 2.9
                   Use                                                                        EPA recommends                  = 3.0 to 3.9
                   Disposal                                                            reduction measures be
                                                                                       taken if 4.0 picocuries                = 4.0 and above
                                                                                         or greater is detected
                                                                                                  in your home.
                Page 12                                                                                                  L__r
                                                                                                                             km




             Environmental Quality Control                                                                                                                                                                          Number of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Permitted
                   Environmental Quality Control (EQC) is one of five deputy areas in DHEC. EQC's role in support of DHEC's stated mis-                                                                             Facilities bV
             sion, "To promote andprotect the health of the public and the environment, " is the administration and application of the                                                                              Program
             methods provided in law and regulation to preserve and improve the quality of our environment while supporting continued                                                                               in 1995
             economic development.
                   EQC's actions are primarily in the permitting and inspection of facilities, the monitoring of industrial and facility activity and                                                               (a facility can hold more
             ambient concentrations of pollutants, resolving permit requirement violations through compliance and enforcement, and respond-                                                                         than one permit)
             ing to potential health threats from natural or man-made events. These activities are conducted to ensure that any human activity
             that can have a significant impact on the quality of our air, land and water is carried out so that the impact is minimized. Other                                                                     National Pollution
             duties include issuing licenses, certifications, registrations, promoting environmental quality initiatives and reporting the results                                                                  Discharge Elimination
             of statewide environmental quality efforts.                                                                                                                                                            System (NPDES) .... 1,727
                   It is EQC's responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the state do so in a manner that is protective of our health and
             environment. South Carolina's future economic viability and natural resource protection depend on continued attention to com-                                                                          Drinking Water Protection
             prehensive and integrated planning with scientifically justifiable reasons for permit requirements and compliance and enforcement                                                                      (includes spas, pools,
             decisions.                                                                                                                                                                                             underground storage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    tanks)   ................... 12,473
             Permitting                                                                                                                                                                                             Bureau of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Air Quality     .............. 1,810
                   A business may have to obtain a permit from the state to construct and/or operate a facility. The permit is an agreement that
             binds the owner and operator to specific design requirements and to minimum performance standards and procedures. Permits are                                                                          Resource Conservation
             used to assure that impact from human activity on health and the environment is minimal.                                                                                                               Recovery Act        ......... 4,358
                   DHEC is working to streamline its permit process to avoid unnecessary duplication of requirements and to more effectively                                                                        Comprehensive
             and efficiently use staff and resources to concentrate on environmental protection. The agency now uses general permits for                                                                            Environmental Response,
             industries with little-to-no environmental impact.                                                                                                                                                     Compensation and
                   The agency has also combined several permit requirements                                                                                                                                         Liability Act   ................  364
             for coastal counties and has worked to reduce the number of                                                                                                                                            (Superfund)
             contacts an applicant will have with the agency. These efforts                                                              Consent Orders Issued
             have been aided by the restructuring that merged DHEC with                                                                                                                                             Infectious waste        .........  25
             the former Coastal Council and the regulatory sections of the                                                         100                 91
             Land Resources Commission and the Water Resources Coin-                                                               90   -                                                                           Radiological waste        ....  553
                                                                                                                                                                           82
             mission.                                                                                                              80   -   76
                                                                                                                                                                 70                                                 Solid waste landfills .. 199
                   DHEC issues 25 different pennits to cover the variety of                                                    0   70   -
             activities with the potential to have an impact on public health                                                  E
                                                                                                                               4)  60   -                                                                           Mining and
             and the environment. A pen-nit is issued if an applicant meets
             all the technical requirements for the operation of a facility.                                                   00  50   -                                                                           Reclamation        ..............  489
                                                                                                                               'do) 40  -
             The primary responsibility of DHEC as the regulatory body is                                                      :3
                                                                                                                               0                                    30
             to apply regulations to each particular situation. It is not                                                      2   30   -
             EQC's role to decide where a particular facility should be                                                        0   20   -                                       18
                                                                                                                                        114                     130         J
                                                                                                                                                                                18
             located. Local governments can best determine if the commu-                                                           10   -
             nity is served by the construction and operation of a new or                                                             0     1991       1992      1993        1994
             expanded facility. The expertise in EQC is available to assist
             with those decisions and support local solutions to local                                                             % of Orders with Penalties 0 % Other Orders
             problems.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Page 13





                                              In general, a company seeking a permit must provide plans, specifications and descriptions of pollutant-emitting processes.
                                          Other information may be required, depending on the type of permit needed.
                                              A fee is assessed to help fund environmental programs. In 1995 the General Assembly passed the Environmental Protection
                                          Fees regulation, which establishes a program for assessing and collecting fees, and also sets schedules for timely action on permit
                                          applications. This regulation requires the department to return application fees if the schedules for timely review are not met.
                                              If a permit is denied, the applicant has the right to an appeal, which will be heard before an administrative judge. The judge's
                                          decision can be appealed to the Board of Health and Environmental Control. Appeals of coastal permits are heard before the
                                          Coastal Appellate Panel, and mining permit appeals are heard before the SC Mining Council. Board appeals are heard in circuit
                                          court.
                                              Often a facility will be subject to requirements administered by several program areas. It is recommended that early contact
                                          with SC DHEC through the appropriate bureau or liaison (see page 18) be incorporated into the planning stage of each project.

                                Orders Issued                                   Compliance
                600
                500 ------------------------------------------------                 After a facility has its permit to operate, the focus shifts to ensuring that operation and
                400 ------------------------------------ --- ----               emissions are in compliance with regulations and permit requirements. EQC's compliance
                30                                                              staff is part of a team of specialists with scientific, technical and management skills located
                                                                                at local EQC district offices and in Columbia. These professionals monitor and inspect
                20                                                              facility operations to ensure that pollution control equipment continues to be operated as
                10                                                              designed.
                  1990     1991     1992     1993    1994     1995                   Where noncompliance is detected, EQC staff efforts are directed first toward returning
                                                              (Th..gh           the process to compliance. That, coupled with a consistent and reasonable enforcement
                                         Bureau               Octobe,)          process when responding to noncompliance, helps ensure protection of the health of the
                              AQ     WPC      DWP     SHWM                      citizens of South Carolina and the environment.
                                                                                     A large majority of the facilities permitted by EQC are in compliance. The compliance
                                                                                                                 rate for the air program is typical of other programs, with
                                                                                                                 more than 96 percent of permitted facilities meeting all
                                                                                                                 requirements. More often than not, noncompliance does not
                                                              Penalties Assessed                                 involve releases to the environment, but a failure to meet all
                                                   440                                                           procedural requirements.
                                                   400 -
                                                   360 -                           351                           Facility Monitoring
                                                   320 -          303

                                                   280 -
                                                                                                                     The owners or operators of a facility may be required by
                                                   240 -                  221            226
                                                x                                                                the permit to sample, record and report the concentrations of
                                                44 200 -                                                         the pollutants they release. Groundwater monitoring and
                                                   160 -   121                                                   sampling may also be required. Environmental monitoring
                  0

                  0

















                                                   120                                                           provides the data necessary to confirm the performance of
                                                     80                                                          required controls and can help deten-nine the impact of the
                                                     40    1990   1991 -1992      1993   1994                    facility on the local environment.
               Page 14




          Enforcement                                                              Other Requirements

               Once a violation of regulation or pen-nit is detected and           Licensing: Individuals who perform certain tasks in a business
          documented, a Notice of Violation (NOV) is issued to the                 or industry may have to hold a license. In some instances, this
          responsible party. An enforcement conference is scheduled to             is in addition to the permit(s) required for the construction and/
          discuss the violation. (If the responsible party fails to respond
                                                                                   or operation of the facility itself.
          to the notice, DHEC may pursue the violation through court
          or by an administrative order requiring the company to                   Registration: Owners or operators may have to provide
          comply with the law.)                                                    notification and a description of their facility that is in opera-
               After the enforcement conference, DHEC may issue a                  tion at the time a new regulation becomes effective.
          consent order in which the responsible party and DHEC agree
          on necessary actions to correct the violation. DHEC also may             Certification: Businesses or industries may be required to
          issue a civil penalty based on guidelines in the agency's                document or provide affidavits showing that they are in
          Uniform Enforcement Policy. Civil penalties are not kept by              compliance with a regulation or standard, or have constructed
          DHEC, but are returned to the general fund and are assessed              a facility in a certain way. This documentation is typically
          based on one or more of the following factors:                           required to be signed by a notary, professional engineer,
               :D Degree or potential degree of harm;                              professional geologist and/or a registered land surveyor. In all
                                                                                   instances, these individuals must be registered to practice their
               @Z  Extent of deviation from the requirements,                      profession in the State of South Carolina. In some instances
                   frequency or duration of violation;                             certification may need to be obtained from the agency for the
                                                                                   proposed activity. Laboratories performing environmental
               @D  Economic benefit gained from noncompliance;                     analyses reported to EQC are required to be certified, dernon-
                                                                                   strating proficiency before results can be accepted.
               :Z  Cost of restoration;
                                                                                   Reporting: Owners and/or operators may be required to
               :D  Past perfon-nance record;                                       report such information as it relates to the operation of certain
                                                                                   types of equipment, units, emissions of specific pollutants, or
               :D  Degree of willfulness and/or neglect;                           storage and the use of toxic substances.

               @D  Other pertinent factors that measure the serious-               Monitoring: Owners and/or operators may be required to
                   ness or frequency of the violation or the conduct               sample and record levels of emissions, including air pollutants,
                   of the responsible party.                                       wastewater and dust. The monitoring activity may also include
                                                                                   groundwater. Monitoring data submitted to the department
          Planning                                                                 must be conducted by a lab certified by EQC.

               The State Implementation Plan for Air Quality and the
          Watershed Management Plan are only two of the resource
          management documents that describe the efforts to guarantee
          the protection of our resources, guide permit, compliance and
          enforcement activity, and allow continued economic develop-
          ment. Guided by these plans, cooperative efforts are under-
          way with neighboring states to preserve common resources.




                                       Environmental Monitoring

                                           Information about our environment is collected by people who operate the state's ambient monitoring networks. The monitor-
                                       ing and analysis provide the quality data that guide decisions of environmental quality professionals in government and industry
                                       and informs the public. The monitoring and sampling networks are operated to support several main objectives:

                                       Assess Environmental Quality - Determining the current state of the air or water quality and tracking trends can provide
                                       information to support decisions and planning.

                                       Support Regulatory Activities - Infon-nation on ambient conditions is needed to be able to set environmental quality-based
                                       permit requirements and assess compliance with the pen-nits issued.

                                       Evaluate Environmental Quality Programs - The effectiveness of the varied approaches to environmental protection can be
                                       evaluated and the programs improved by measuring the ultimate effect on the environment.

                                           Monitoring the condition of the environment requires the talents and skills of microbiologists, chemists, geologists, techni-
       Ambient                         cians and managers working in the field and in laboratories. Sampling is performed throughout the year at designated sites to
       Monitoring                      support DHEC's activities and, when necessary, in response to emergencies, unusual conditions or complaints.
       Networks                            Ambient monitoring networks are designed to determine current air and water quality and long-term trends. In addition,
                                       sampling may be performed to help answer specific questions.
                                                     The ambient surface water monitoring network has three station types. A statewide primary station network is
                                                   sampled monthly to provide year-round data for the widest variety of parameters at high-use areas and at back-
                                                     ground sites. The secondary station locations are more flexible and are focused toward point sources and known
                          0   0,                                         water quality problems. These sites may be changed as necessary and are sampled from May
                0    00 'i
                                                                            to October.
                                                 to
                                0       0                                          Watershed stations provide more complete and representative coverage of a water-
                                      00                                          shed during the first year of the watershed management rotation. They may be
                           @'O 0
                          '0 qP
                        0                                                           sampled every month or only during the summer sampling period as required to
                                                                             00
                                                                                       obtain a comprehensive picture of the watershed.
                     0             0                                                          Sources for public drinking water systems and the treated water are
                                              0            0                                sampled and analyzed regularly to ensure safe water supplies. Water from
                                                          Al
                                                                             0                  ate wells can be analyzed for contaminants by request.
                                       0                                                    priv
                                                                                              Like water, air quality data is collected using three networks that monitor
                                            0
                                  0 0                  "0,-!-,                          background concentrations, areas where the population is at greatest risk of
                                                       0     4-                       exposure, and where source impact on air quality may be significant. Most air
                                                                 Y                  monitoring is concentrated in and around our major urban areas and is done
                                       0                                          continuously, with sampling taking place 24 hours a day and the data recovered each
         ï¿½ Primary Water                   0  10            '00                 day over phone lines. National Air Monitoring Sites (NAMS) are part of a nationwide
                                                                   0         system collecting data where pollutant concentration and population exposure's expected
            Monitoring Stations
         ï¿½ Air Monitoring                         0                       to be highest. Supplementing these are State and Local Monitoring Sites (SLAMS) that
            Stations                            0                      monitor background, source impact and population exposure. Special Purpose Monitors
                                                                    (SPMs) are used to collect data about state standard concentrations and to answer questions about
                                                                      If
                                                                 spec ic problems.
              Page 16                                             Most water and air samples are analyzed at the Environmental Quality Control Laboratories located
                                                           in Columbia.



           Future Challenges                                                                                                                                         Drycleaning
           Regional Approach to Landfilling                                           Brownfields Initiative                                                         Trust Fund
                                                                                                                                                                       On July 1, 1995, the
               New federal and state requirements for landfill design and                  Brownfields are abandoned, idled or underused industrial                  state created a trust fund
           operation reinforce the importance of regional approaches to               and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is                  to assess and clean up
           providing services. Solid waste landfills face up to $500,000              complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.                  contamination from
                                                                                                                                                                     drycleaning facilities.
           an acre in design and operation costs to meet standards                    The state and federal goal is to assist in economic redevelop-                 Funding  .comes from
           effective Oct. 1, 1998. The requirements are designed prima-               ment by working together in a timely manner to assess, safely                  donations by each
           rily to protect groundwater. Fifteen of the state's 39 municipal           clean up and sustainably reuse brownfields. An assessment                      drycleaner from income
           landfills have confirmed groundwater contamination.                        will determine how many of these sites there are in the state.                 tax, plus funds from a
               Many local governments have reached their landfill                                                                                                    national surcharge on
           capacity and don't have the resources to build facilities and              Nonpoint Sources                                                               some of the toxic materi-
                                                                                                                                                                     als used.
           clean up contamination around existing landfills. Regional                      Most people blame water pollution on large industries, but                  Drycleaning facilities
           systems must be explored along with new ways to reduce the                                                                                                use hazardous and some
           amounts of waste going into landfills.                                     much pollution comes from "nonpoint," or runoff, sources.                      carcinogenic solvents in
                                                                                      Rainwater collects contaminants as it flows toward lakes and                   their processes that
           Ozone                                                                      rivers. Nutrients, dissolved metals, bacteria and pesticides also              possibly have migrated
                                                                                      damage water quality. Industry and the public must reduce the                  into groundwater. DHEC
                                                                                      use of potential pollutants, use environmentally friendly                      must develop regulations
               Occasional violations of the one-hour ozone standard                   products, and avoid washing pollutants into creeks and                         for conducting assess-
           detected in the Upstate and Midlands is an indicator of the                streams.                                                                       ments and establishing a
           increasing impact of urbanization on air quality. The reaction                                                                                            system to prioritize
                                                                                                                                                                     cleanups at these
           of sunlight and the ozone precursors (VOCs and NOx)                        Hazardous Air Pollutants                                                       facilities.
           generated in population centers affects areas downwind. The
           determination that an area is not attaining the standard would                  The Clean Air Act Amendments establish requirements for
           result in more requirements to control emissions from vehicles             174 types of industries that emit hazardous air pollutants. The
           and industries. Motor vehicle emissions in some parts of the               EPA is establishing Maximum Achievable Control Technology
           state may account for as much as 80 percent of all ozone-                  (MACT) standards for each type. South Carolina has author-
           forming pollution generated by human activities.                           ity to implement the MACT requirements. Efforts are being
                                                                                      made to identify and assist affected industries.
           EPA's Re-evaiuation of Air Standards                                       Toxic Chemical Releases
               The EPA is considering modifying the National Ambient                       Although the total amount of toxic material released each
           Air Quality Standards for particulate matter (PM), Sulfur                  year tracked in the Toxic Release Inventory has steadily
           Dioxide (SO    2) and ozone. EPA is expected to establish a                decreased, the reduction is not as large as in many other states.
           standard for PM less than 2.5 microns in diameter. The                     Between 1988 and 1993, South Carolina facilities reduced the
           proposed SO    2standard revision is aimed toward very short (5            amount released by 20 percent compared to the national
           minute) exposures. The proposed changes in the ozone                       average of 37 percent. The state has risen from 23rd to 12th in
           standard lower the allowable concentration and lengthen the                rank nationally for the total amount released. More than 95
           averaging time. Some areas of the state that meet the current              percent of the material is released into the air. Accelerating the
           NAAQS will be in danger of being designated "nonattain-                    rate of improvement will require the attention of industry,                            Page 17
           ment" under the new standard.                                              regulators and the public.




        DHEC Access                           Information Resources

          DHEC's Home Page on
        the World Wide Web                    Points of Contact at the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
        contains information
        about the agency,
        including contacts and                    Understanding the complexities of health and environmental issues can
        phone numbers of the                  be a frustrating and time-consuming task for businesses, industries, cities,                     The Center for
        experts who can answer                counties, towns and residents. In support of EQC district offices, DHEC's
        your health and environ-              six liaisons provide a contact point for specific needs.                                         Waste Minimization
        mental questions. It can
        be accessed by:                       Alice Truluck serves as a contact for the regulated community, community                           Reducing the amount of waste we create
                                                                                                                                               is an important goal in preserving our
        http://www. state. sc. us/            groups and citizens regarding concerns and questions on agency policies                          environment. We must incorporate waste
        dhec/                                 and regulations. She is also director of the agency's Freedom of Informa-                        reduction and recycling into our daily lives,
                                              tion Center. She can be reached at (803) 734-4880.                                               and the same is true for industry and
                                                                                                                                               business.
        Bulletin Board                        Lillian Mood coordinates the risk communication program within Environ-                            Waste minimization or pollution prevention
                                                                                                                                               occurs by turning to alternative manufactur-
                                              mental Quality Control. She is a key contact for citizens who have questions                     ing methods that use less toxic or non-toxic
          The Bureau of Air                   or concems about environmental activities in their communities and possible                      materials. This helps reduce costs, treat-
        Quality has an electronic             health effects. She can be reached at (803) 734-5440.                                            ment and disposal liabilities, saves raw
        bulletin board that                                                                                                                    materials and energy, improves the
        provides current informa-                                                                                                              industry's public image and promotes
        tion on air programs,                 Willie J. Morgan is DHEC's permitting liaison. Morgan is responsible for                         compliance.
        issues and regulations. A             coordinating the permits that businesses and industries need from any - or                          DHEC developed the Center for Waste
        summary of the permit                 all - DHEC program areas. He serves as the primary contact and advocate                          Minimization in 1990 to help industries
        applications that have                for the regulated community and can be reached at (803) 734-5179.                                reduce and recycle wastes. The center's
        been received by DHEC                                                                                                                  technical specialists have experience in
        will soon be available. The                                                                                                            industry and are familiar with current waste
        bulletin board can be                 F. Ann Ragan is responsible for coordinating activities involving federal                        minimization technologies and strategies for
        accessed 24 hours a day               facilities and is the primary contact for the Department of Energy, Depart-                      specific operations.
        and is easy to use. All you           ment of Defense and other interested par-ties on cleanup, permitting and                           Each year the center assists about 300
        need is a computer,                   compliance issues. She can be reached at (803) 734-472 1.                                        callers and performs about 60 free, non-
        modem and telephone.                                                                                                                   regulatory waste assessments. The center's
          To access the bulletin                                                                                                               clients have reported more than $1 million in
        board set the communica-              Robin Stephens is the state's Small Business Ombudsman. She serves as                            savings per year in waste management
        tion software to N81,                 advocate for small businesses, providing referrals to appropriate technical                      expenses and a reduction of more than
        then dial (803) 734-3752.             staff, outreach on regulations and resolving small business problems. She                        180,000 gallons of oil and solvent 'waste.
        To access a systems                   can be reached at (803) 734-6487 or 1-800-819-9001.                                                The center also maintains a network with
        operator between                                                                                                                       regional and national information centers on
        8:30arn and 5pm, dial                 William R. "Bill" Krecker is the state's enforcement liaison. He coordi-                         waste minimization and a library of waste
        (803) 734-3728.                                                                                                                        minimization information. Speakers are also
                                              nates enforcement activities involving the state's regulated community and                       available to discuss waste reduction meth-
                                              assists with planning and development of legislation. He can be reached at                       ods with industry trade associations.
                                              (803) 734-5279.                                                                                    The center's representatives can be
                                                                                                                                               reached by calling (803) 734-4715.

                Page 18



             Bureau Responsibilities                                                                            DHEC Publications, Reports                                                                            SmaH
             Bureau of Air Quality               .................................. (803) 734-4750              South Carolina Nuclear Facility Environmental Radiation                                               Business
                         Designs, implements emission control regulations                                            Monitoring, 1994 Annual Report                                                                   Assistance
                         Construction and operation permits                                                                                                                                                           Program
                         Compliance inspections                                                                 Statewide Water Quality Assessment, FY 1992-1993                                                        DHEC established the
                                                                                                                     [305(b)]                                                                                         Small Business Assis-
             Bureau of Drinking Water Protection                          ....... (803) 734-5310                                                                                                                      tance Program (SBAP)
                         Reviews new water systems plans                                                        Nonpoint Source Management Program, July 1995 (Draft)                                                 in 1994 to assist small
                         Inspects water systems during and after construction                                                                                                                                         business owners with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      the complex Clean Air
                         Conducts routine monitoring program                                                    Used Oil Collection and Recycling in South Carolina, 1994                                             Act Amendments. The
                         Inspects public swimming areas and pools                                                    Annual Report                                                                                    amendments require
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      some small businesses
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      with emissions to
             Bureau of Solid and                                                                                Watershed Water Quality Management Strategy in                                                        obtain permits, which
             Hazardous Waste Management                        .................. (803) 896-4000                     South Carolina, Program Description                                                              they previously did not
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      have to do.
                         Issues permits for hazardous, infectious,                                                                                                                                                      More than 200 small
                               radiological and solid waste programs                                            Environmental Permitting in South Carolina                                                            businesses have
                         Monitors for compliance                                                                                                                                                                      contacted the state
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Small Business Om-
                         Collects environmental samples                                                         South Carolina Superfund Annual Report, July 1, 1993 -                                                budsman with ques-
                   :Z    Assures proper waste disposal                                                               June 30, 1994                                                                                    tions about how
                         Responds to emergencies                                                                                                                                                                      regulations affect them
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      and, when necessary,
                                                                                                                Hazardous Waste Activities Reported in South Carolina                                                 how to get a permit.
             Bureau of Water Pollution Control                       ............ (803) 734-5300                     for 1993                                                                                         The program helps
                   Z Ensures dischargers have proper wastewater                                                                                                                                                       them determine
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      sources of emissions
                               treatment systems                                                                1993 South Carolina Air Quality Annual Report, Vol. XII                                               and what type of permit
                         Monitors for compliance                                                                                                                                                                      they need. Additionally,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      the program has helped
                         Ensures shellfish sanitation                                                           Watershed Water Quality Management Strategy,                                                          new businesses during
                         Collects samples for water quality problems                                                 Savannah-Salkehatchie Basin (Executive Summary)                                                  startup. The types of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      companies helped
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      include drycleaners,
             Bureau of District Services                 ......................... (803) 734-5383               Watershed Water Quality Management Strategy,                                                          sandblasters, foundries,
                   :) Performs inspections                                                                           Saluda-Edisto Basin (Executive Summary)                                                          sawmills, small textile
                   ï¿½ Responds to emergencies                                                                                                                                                                          companies and compa-
                   ï¿½ Investigates citizen complaints                                                            South Carolina Ground-Water Contamination Inventory                                                   nies with paint booths.
                         Collects environmental samples                                                         1995                                                                                                   For more information,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               call SBAP:
             Bureau of EQC Laboratories                      ..................... (803) 935-7031               The Bureau of Drinking Water Protection Annual Report                                                     (803) 734-6487
                         Certifies environmental laboratories                                                        fior Fiscal Year 1995                                                                                          or
                         Performs ambient air monitoring                                                                                                                                                                  1-800-819-9001
                   :Z Analyzes waste and water samples                                                          (Some documents are available in limited quantities and
                         Performs radiological monitoring                                                       may require a copying charge.)
                                                                                                                                                                                                               I              Page 19




        1. Appalachia I                          Environmental Quality Control Districts
        (Anderson, Oconee)
        (864) 260-5569
        2. Appalachia H                             Indicates District Office Location
        (Greenville, Pickens)
        (864) 241-1090

        3. Appalachia III
        (Cherokee, Spartanburg,                                                                        Cherokee
        Union)                                                                Greenville                                        A&
        (864) 596-3800
                                                                                                                        York
        4. Catawba                                                   Pickens  2            Spartanburg
        (Chester, Lancaster, York)                                                                       3                4
        (803) 285-7461                                 Oconee
        5. Central Midlands                                                                              Union         Chester         Lancaster'      Chesterfield
                                                                                                                                                                         Marlboro
        (Fairfield, Lexington,                                1
        Newberry, Richland)                                           Anderson             Laurens
        (803) 935-7015                                                                                                   Fairfield                                                 Dillon
                                                                                                                                       /   Kershaw              Darlington
        6. Low CountrV
        (Beaufort, Colleton,                                                      10                     Newberry
        Hampton, Jasper)                                                  Abbeville                                                                     Lee                         Mario,
        (803) 522-9097                                                                  Greenwood                      5
                                                                                                                                                                       Florence
        7. Lower Savannah                                                                            Saluda                     Richland
        (Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg,                                            McCormick
                                                                                                                                                 Sumter                                          Horry
        Barnwell, Calhoun,                                                                                         Lexington
        Orangeburg)
        (803) 641-7670                                                                       Edgefield
                                                                                                                                    Calhoun          Clarendo        Williamsburg
        S. Pee Doe
        (Chesterfield,  Darlington,                                                                    Aiken
        Dillon, Florence, Marion,
        Marlboro)                                                                                                      7          Orangeburg                                     Georgetown
        (863) 661-4825
        9. Trident                                                                                            Barnwell     Bamberg         Dorchester            Berkeley
        (Berkeley, Charleston,
        Dorchester)                                                                                                             @'Ij
        (803) 740-1590                                                                                             Allendale
                                                                                                                                                             9
        10. Upper Savannah                                                                                                             Colleton
        (Abbeville, Edgefield,                                                                                          H ampton
        Greenwood, Laurens,                                                                                                            -h@                              -
        McCormick, Saluda)                                                                                                           C                 Charleston
        (864) 223-0333

        11. Waccamaw
                                                                      South Carolina-
        (Georgetown, Horry,                                                                                                 Jasper      Boeauforrt
        Williamsburg)
        (803) 448-1902                                      DHEC
        12. Wateree                                        Department of Health and Environmental Control
        (Clarendon, Kershaw,
        Lee, Sumter)
        (803) 778-1531













                                                                 Other DHEC Publications                                       [I Environmental Permitting in S.C.
                                                                 SC DHEC publishes a variety of                                El Statewide Water Quality Assessment
                                                                                                                               E] Nonpoint Source Management Program
                                                                 documents that contain environmental                              Watershed Water Quality Management -
                                                                 data. Please check any publications                                 Program Description
                                                                 below you would like to receive and                               Watershed Strategy, Savannah-Salkehatchie
                                                                                                                                     (Executive Summary)
                                                                 return card to:                                                   Watershed Strategy, Saluda-Edisto (Executive
                                                                 SC DHEC                                                             Summary)
                                                                 DIVISION OF MEDIA RELATIONS                                   El Hazardous Waste Activities Reported in S.C.
                                                                 2600 BULL ST.                                                       1993
                                                                                                                                   Annual Reports on:
                                                                 COLUMBIA SC 29201                                             El Nuclear Facility Radiation Monitoring
                                                                 (Availability of some publications is limited and             [-] Used Oil Collection and Recycling
                                                                 could require a cost. You will be notified before your        E]  S.C. Superfund
                                                                 order is f illed if there is a cost associated with your      []  Air Quality
                                                                 request.)                                                     E]  Drinking Water
                                                                 Name                                                                    Daytime Phone
                                                                 Address
                                                                 City, State, Zip
                                                                 What do you think?
                                                                 We'd like your comments on The Quality of the Environment in South Carolina

























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