These ‘environmentalists’ don’t give a darn about public safety

The Coastal Conservation League continues its objection and delaying tactics regarding the International Drive paving project, even though it is sorely needed by the residents along the S.C. 90 corridor portion of Horry County.

Early this year the group, through its legal arm, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, brought a request for contested case hearing before the South Carolina Administrative Law Court. On July 7, Judge Ralph King Anderson ruled that CCL failed the burden of proof in every one of at least 9 arguments they put before him.

Of greatest importance to the residents, was Judge Anderson’s ruling that “The proposed road will significantly improve the health and safety of a substantial part of the County’s population by:

• Allowing quicker access by emergency responders;

• Allowing quicker access for them to trauma centers, emergency rooms, and other critical health

services; and

• Improving firefighting capabilities and hurricane evacuation.”

Yet, despite the court’s overwhelming repudiation of CCL’s arguments, listen to the response from CCL and their legal team:

- Amy Armstrong, SCELP attorney for CCL, in a WPDE interview: “We want him to reconsider.” And if he doesn’t, Armstrong says they’ll appeal again. [The group has since appealed the ruling.]

- Nancy Cave, north coast director for CCL, in a televised interview: “We expected this decision.”

That begs the question, if you expected to lose in a court of law, why did you bring the case in the first place? Is this what your contributors expect – spending tens of thousands of dollars on a case you have no expectation of winning? If you didn’t expect to win, what is the real motive behind these actions?

- Dana Beach, executive director of CCL in The Sun News, July 15: “The Judge failed to rule on two key points: the extent to which construction will protect or improve water quality, and whether the project complies with policies on fill material.”

Beach is obviously oblivious to Judge Anderson’s ruling. “Water quality” is referenced 52 times in the written decision. After significant review, Anderson ruled: “The evidence established that there would be minimal direct or indirect cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on water quality. Rather, the required stormwater controls would eliminate runoff into the adjacent wetlands to the maximum extent practicable. Also, the culverts that will be installed will improve the hydrology and water quality of the reconnected wetlands.”

It is obvious that the Coastal Conservation League, masked as environmentalists, will use any device at their disposal to stymie and thwart progress. Rep. Tom Rice said it best some time ago in a letter to the editor in The Sun News when he said:

“I believe the term ‘environmentalism’ has been hijacked by a group of folks who should more correctly be labeled obstructionists. They believe their duty is to put up roadblocks to progress. Friends, there are people out there who would, if they could, prevent the construction of any new roads.”

It is also obvious that the Coastal Conservation League has absolutely no regard for the residents along the S.C. 90 corridor, blue-collar Americans and hundreds of retirees who deserve better.

Our judicial system has exercised its role in this matter and the Coastal Conservation League has had ample opportunity to prove its case in a court of law. The fact is they have no case, as evidenced in Judge Anderson’s decision at the Administrative Law Court.

The next time a wildfire takes another 70 homes; the next time emergency responders aren’t able to reach a heart attack victim in time; the next time one of these good residents fails to get to the hospital in time to save a life; will the Coastal Conservation League stand up and be accountable for their role in these incidents? Sadly my friends, the answer to that question is no.

They live in another world, oblivious to basic human needs.

The writer lives along the S.C. 90 corridor.

This story was originally published August 14, 2016 at 9:09 AM with the headline "These ‘environmentalists’ don’t give a darn about public safety."