More than 300 of you asked the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to hold a public hearing about a sand mine on the edge of Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve. DHEC heard you and scheduled a hearing on the individual permit application to mine 23 acres.
Horry County residents can show up and speak out to protect one of our state’s natural treasures!
Edge Road Mine Public Hearing
Thursday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m.
J. Bryan Floyd Community Center
1030 Possum Trot Road, North Myrtle Beach
The meeting will have a hybrid virtual and in-person format, but we encourage those who are able to attend in person. Find more information about the meeting, the registration form for the virtual option, and a link to submit written comments here. Written comments are due July 15.
Lewis Ocean Bay is a sensitive ecosystem with rare and endangered species like Venus flytraps and red-cockaded woodpeckers. It already faces challenges due to nearby development, which limits the S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ ability to conduct prescribed burns that sustain habitats. Folks living near the mine are dealing with dust clouds kicked up by the heavy trucks staged at the mining site, which will only increase if the mine is approved.
If you’d like to learn more, the Coastal Conservation League recently hosted a webinar with the Waccamaw Riverkeeper with an overview of mining in South Carolina, a closer look at what has happened since Horry County rolled back local mining regulations, and what we think the potential impacts of the mine could be for neighboring residents and the heritage preserve. You can find a recording here.
Please plan to attend DHEC’s public hearing on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve.