Black Scenic River Advisory Council

06/03/2026

Get outside, the weather is great.

06/02/2026

JUNE IS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR LITTER MONTH.

Zero Tolerance for Litter is a joint initiative brought to you by
PalmettoPride and the South Carolina Litter Control
Association to heighten public awareness of South Carolina’s
litter laws. This month-long campaign unites law
enforcement officers from municipalities to state agencies
in a two-part mission: to increase enforcement of state litter
laws and to educate the public on these laws and the
importance of litter prevention.
With the start of summer travel, June presents an ideal
opportunity to launch a significant effort to keep our
roadways clean. Because an estimated 20% of roadside litter
originates from unsecured loads, June is Zero Tolerance for
Litter Month in conjunction with National Secure Your Load
Day on June 6.
WHY JUNE?
WHAT IS IT? OVERVIEW OF SC LITTER LAWS
Litter: Littering under 15 pounds is
punishable by up to a $100 base fine; 8
hours of litter-gathering labor or other
form of community service; 30 days
imprisonment, SC Code of Laws § 16-
11-700.

PalmettoPride is working together for a litter-free South Carolina. It was created by the South Carolina legislature to fight litter and keep our state clean, green and beautiful.

05/25/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1SdzSCb7aF
This is pretty good...

05/23/2026

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/environment/article315863538.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawR-gpJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeFKbnSfJPSPMhm4mwQDesVzCxkSaGs-2bPunlYKtYHDxHoTV7rbfWmr5adQA_aem_YBISrF6qLWnULpNkjkX3Qg
Here's a link to a recent settlement concerning Williamsburg Recycling near Andrews, SC. If you can't read the article (subscription), listen to it.

Environmentalists and the operators of a sludge recycling center have reached a truce over odors and other issues involving the SC site

04/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CKyj4hpzQ/

Our neighbors in Georgia are in our thoughts as they respond to devastating wildfires. Governor Brian Kemp reported the fires began when a balloon contacted a power line — a sobering reminder that released balloons can have consequences far beyond where they land.

Last week, the South Carolina House passed H.3047 in a 92–17 bipartisan vote, and it now heads to the Senate for a first reading. The bill would classify intentional and organized balloon releases as litter, discouraging mass releases that often become pollution in waterways, farms, roadsides, and wildlife habitat.

It’s a practical step South Carolina can take right now to address a preventable problem. But time is short.

The legislative session ends May 14, and H.3047 needs to move quickly through the Senate to reach the Governor’s desk. If it doesn’t advance before the session ends, the bill dies. We need your voice right now. Contact your SC state senator and urge them to move H.3047 forward without delay. Find your Senator through the link in the comments.

04/21/2026

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-02136000/ =continuous-00065-0&period=P7D&showFieldMeasurements=true

Pray for rain. We've had 1.17 inches of rain in the last 38 days!

Discover water data collected at monitoring location USGS-02136000, located in South Carolina and find additional nearby monitoring locations.

04/21/2026

https://www.selc.org/press-release/conservation-groups-act-to-stop-the-city-of-sumter-from-polluting-the-pocotaligo-river-with-toxic-forever-chemicals/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRU1F9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeknNu4_e078W-tstGIGi5uWnNE2v6_8MgDnYR2Pyp6KgGVpwpXiAQDVHAJfE_aem_9yGamT5Ldwr8OzBOo3fPew

PFAS levels in the Pocotaligo among the highest in the nation CHARLESTON, S.C. — On behalf of Winyah Rivers Alliance, the Southern Environmental Law Center today notified the City of Sumter and several of its industrial plants that they must stop illegally discharging per- and polyfluoroalkyl subs...

04/17/2026

I told you this (PFAS) would be coming...Here's another LONG and DISTURBING article concerning our river.

Under current federal regulations, industries are free to dump unlimited amounts of PFAS into public sewage systems that can’t remove them.

04/15/2026

Update: Balloon Release Bill Advances
to House Floor

After advancing through two committee meetings, H.3047 is now headed to the House floor. If approved, it will move on to the Senate and then to the Governor’s desk—marking a critical stage in the legislative process.

This bill takes a proactive approach to litter prevention by addressing large-scale balloon releases before they occur, rather than relying on enforcement after the fact. While these events are often well-intentioned, the environmental consequences are lasting. Balloons released into the air can travel hundreds of miles, eventually landing in fields, waterways, and natural habitats where they pose serious risks to wildlife, livestock, and ecosystems.

We are grateful to Rep. Dennis Moss and Rep. Patrick Haddon for their leadership in sponsoring H.3047. For South Carolina farmers, even a single incident involving balloon debris can result in costly veterinary care—sometimes totaling thousands of dollars—for animals harmed by ingestion or entanglement. These are preventable incidents that place an unnecessary burden on those already operating on tight margins.

There are many meaningful alternatives to celebrate or honor loved ones without causing harm to the environment. As H.3047 moves forward, it is imperative for legislators to hear this issue matters to their constituents. To find and contact your representative, visit scstatehouse.gov.