This bill has passed out of the South Carolina House of Representatives. It is pending consideration by the Senate.
As described by the SC Conservation Coalition, of which we are a part, and its partners H.5118 has legislative endorsements for a combined cycle natural gas plant as well as language that authorizes Santee Cooper to serve as an “anchor subscriber” for natural gas and pipeline capacity, which could facilitate a substantial build of pipelines cutting through private property. The amendments also addressed several of our concerns about the bill, including language that would have compromised PSC decisions on natural gas plants and other proposed limits on public and advocate interactions with the PSC.
This is language from the SC Conservation Coalition partner/member organizations.
On balance, we remain concerned with aspects of the bill that endorse risky investments without public disclosures, facilitate unnecessary buildout of pipeline infrastructure, and compromise consumer protections and private property rights.
In addition, the SC Chapter of the Sierra Club continues to have concerns about incentives for small modular nuclear reactors in our state. In recent years, our state has turned the tide in terms of environmental protection, and accordingly, we do not often have to oppose legislation. In this case, we are opposed to the bill in its current form.
We helped lead the way in stopping the V.C. Summer debacle. Let's not make this mistake again.
Please contact your South Carolina Senator and tell them to oppose this bill.
Please contact your South Carolina Senator and tell them to oppose this bill.
Years ago, the South Carolina Sierra Club helped co-found The Stop the Blank Check Coalition, alongside our friends and colleagues, a diverse group of business and citizens' interest groups that coalesced to protect ratepayers from the failed V.C. Summer project which lead to so much turmoil in our state. We do not want to see this happen again!