South Carolina's
Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has requested public comment regarding a
proposed dam on Ferguson Creek, an important tributary to the South Tyger River and popular Tyger
River whitewater runs. DHEC has issued conflicting deadlines for responses (April 13 and
April 15), neither of which is consistent with its 30 day policy from the date of public
notice--March 31 in the Greenville News. Please consider writing a letter to DHEC similar
to the below asking them to address several concerns.
(Your
name, address, and date)
South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull
St.
Columbia, SC
29201
Attn: Alicia
M. Rowe, Division of Water Quality
To Whom It May
Concern:
I am writing in
response to public notice SAC 2008-01375-81W. I have several concerns with respect to this
project, starting with the inadequate steps DHEC has taken to notify the public with respect to
this project. DHEC has issued conflicting deadlines, both April 13 and April 15, in
different publications. There is no indication that DHEC has listed the project on its
website, nor did it circulate the public notice to individuals on the Department's public notice
list. Furthermore, DHEC has failed to give the public 30 days to comment from the date its
public notice was issued in the Greenville News, which was March 31. I request that DHEC
extend the deadline for the comment period by 45 days to May 30, 2009. This extension
includes 15 days to allow a 30 day comment period from DHEC's first public notice and an
additional 30 day extension for comments on this important topic.
Furthermore, I
request DHEC consider the following points with respect to this project:
1) The impact of
the proposed project to flows in Ferguson Creek and the South Tyger River;
2) The use of and
need for a minimum release regime from the proposed dam in order to ensure the protection of
water quality classifications and standards in downstream waterbodies;
3) A detailed
description (including proposed locations and techniques) of all mitigation activities
for wetland and stream impacts;
4) A detailed
description of all steps taken to protect rare, threatened, and endangered species in the
vicinity of the proposed project, including Hackelia
virginiana;
5) The completion
and discussion of a satisfactory alternatives analysis for the proposed project;
6) A detailed
description of the size and location of the raw water transmission mains, including a
discussion of how (as stated by the applicant) the construction of these facilities will not
impact jurisdictional waterways;
7) A description
of the location of potential discharges for water supplied originating from this proposed
reservoir;
Sincerely,
(Your
name)
