Advocates say Hwy. 90 landfill expansion could harm wetlands, water quality, wildlife

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — A coalition of environmental advocates is urging federal regulators to reject or significantly change a proposed landfill expansion in Horry County, warning it could damage wetlands and harm water quality and wildlife.

Six advocacy groups partnered with the South Carolina Environmental Law Project to challenge the Horry County Solid Waste Authority’s plan to expand the landfill off Highway 90.

In a 20-page letter addressed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the groups raised concerns about the degradation of water quality, impacts to wildlife, and failure to provide alternatives.

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Among the groups opposing the expansion is the Coastal Conservation League. Becky Ryon, the league’s North Coast office director, said, “About 75% of the wetlands that they’re talking about impacting are under restrictive covenants already. They were meant to be set aside as mitigation from a previous expansion.”

She said the group wants those restrictive covenants upheld.

Monica Whalen, an attorney with the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, said the letter is intended to send a strong message to the Solid Waste Authority to change the proposal.

“If they don’t amend the project to avoid these environmental impacts as it’s currently being proposed, there’s definitely the possibility of a lawsuit challenging any permitting decisions that allow for environmental impacts,” Whalen said.

The wetlands at issue are associated with Sterritt Swamp, the Waccamaw River, and the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, according to the advocates.

Whalen said the wetlands provide important habitat and environmental benefits, including protecting water quality and reducing flooding impacts.

“There’s a lot of significance and the habitat that they provide for wildlife and the benefits that they provide in terms of you know, filtering out water quality or filtering out pollutants to protect water quality and absorbing water to help with flooding impacts,” Whalen said.

The letter also includes information from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reports, including details about species in the area, buffer space, best management practices, and conservation statuses.

Asked whether it plans to evaluate the landfill expansion proposal and share potential environmental impacts or concerns, SCDNR said, “SCDNR staff have requested an alternatives analysis for the site selection and proposed site configuration, a habitat assessment for state-listed species, and additional information regarding the proposed upland buffers surrounding wetlands at MSW Site 1.”

RELATED: Solid Waste Authority addresses residents’ concerns over proposed landfill expansion

For the project to move forward, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must accept the Solid Waste Authority’s permit.

The agency said it does not have an estimated timeframe.

The Solid Waste Authority said it is awaiting feedback from the Corps.

“The SWA is looking forward to getting the comments back from the Army Corps of Engineers that were submitted during the public comment period, and to providing the responses to these comments,” the agency said.