International Drive: County Council needs to look in the mirror

Members of Horry County Council have spent considerable time and effort scapegoating conservationists concerned about the county’s reversal of its original plans for International Drive. Their efforts deflect attention from a vital fact: If Horry County had moved forward after signing the 2010 contract with S.C. Department of Natural Resources, there would not have been a challenge to the road project.

The concerns over emergency vehicles, travel times, congestion and evacuation needs would have been history if not for the county reneging on its original promise.

Conservationists and resource agencies have long been concerned about adverse impacts on wildlife habitats from the paving of International Drive. The 2010 contract between the county and the Department of Natural Resources helped allay these concerns by incorporating wildlife underpasses under the proposed two-lane road.

At that time conservationists felt that a balance had been struck between protecting wildlife habitats and the road project with the 2010 agreement.

Then, Horry County went back on its word and enlisted politicians to meet with DNR and push for eliminating all wildlife passages and expanding to five lanes. A revised agreement was signed in 2013, and only then did conservationists object.

Few natural areas in South Carolina compare with the beauty and richness of the almost 10,000-acre treasure trove of rare plants and animals in Lewis Ocean Bay. Why has Horry County Council not realized the economic potential for promoting this area and offering visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a landscape that has changed little since colonial times? Apparently, county leaders see Lewis Ocean Bay as nothing but an obstacle to laying more asphalt and concrete.

This narrow view contrasts with elected officials in the state, country and world that look at open space and outdoor opportunities as a positive for improving the quality of life and the economy.

There are other important facets to consider, but this controversy has centered on black bears. Even among biologists, there are differing opinions about numbers and locations of black bears in and around Lewis Ocean Bay. Meanwhile, several things are beyond dispute: (1) Lewis Ocean Bay is part of key habitat ranges that support the coastal black bear population; (2) the catastrophic fires of 2009 scorched bear habitat; and (3) LOBHP thrives with regular burning events.

The habitat will recover and attract more bears - if they have a safe way in and out.

Wildlife passages are also essential for other species of wildlife as development occurs and Lewis Ocean Bay becomes more isolated from other natural tracts. And wildlife passages are essential to reduce vehicle-bear collisions. They are a win-win for people and bears. Such wildlife passageways have become commonplace in highway projects across the country to reduce habitat fragmentation and protect wildlife.

And to address the “Gotcha” question that county supporters ask: “Which is more important – humans or bears?” Human life is indisputably valuable, but humans can speak for themselves. As Teddy Roosevelt said, “wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.” In this case, the SC Wildlife Federation gives a voice to bears and the thousands of South Carolinians who marvel at their beauty, power, grace and intelligence. Both bears and humans will benefit from wildlife passages because collisions not only kill bears, but injure humans, sometimes resulting in loss of human life.

The Coastal Conservation League and S.C. Wildlife Federation both have members in Horry County and around the state. In contesting Horry County’s reversal of its original promise, we are standing up for our thousands of supporters who believe that our natural heritage and publicly-owned wildlife, land and waters are a legacy that must be protected today for future generations. Our members in all 46 counties have a vital interest here because state-owned resources of state-wide importance hang in the balance.

We have met several times with Horry County officials in an attempt to reach agreement and continue to believe that a solution can be found that satisfies the concerns of Horry County citizens while taking care to protect Lewis Ocean Bay and its inhabitants.

Ben Gregg is executive director of South Carolina Wildlife Federation, a statewide advocacy and education organization founded in 1931.

This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 9:17 PM with the headline "International Drive: County Council needs to look in the mirror."