Residents Angered Market Common
The NRDC has put out a new KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Ocean Water Quality rating system to inform tourists and residents concerning beaches in America.
Myrtle Beach’s water quality currently gets a (YELLOW) unacceptable rating from the NRDC.
CLICK ON THE MAP ABOVE TO SEE THE NRDC CURRENT BEACH RATINGS
Ten small business owners we spoke with in the downtown area were infuriated that the city of Myrtle Beach would allow our ocean water quality to fall to such levels. One business owner, who asked us to withhold his name in fear of reprisals from the city, asked how the city could let our most precious asset and number one revenue generator get such a grade. “The city is focused on taxing downtown merchants,” he said. “This is where they should be putting their attention.”
We asked 30 residents at Market Common if they were aware of the elevated bacteria grades Myrtle Beach currently has. They were not. When we showed them the current system grades online. All became very upset. While the comments varied, most questioned the role of city government and how they could let this happened. What now has residents even more upset, however is the way the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is currently spending from hundreds of thousands to almost $4 million to mislead the public and tourists at large.
“The ads are pouring out everyday on my TV and radio now,” said Skip Hoagland. “They are saying this information on MyrtleBeachSC.com is a lie. I live in SC. I know who is lying. The signs are pointed to face to the ocean and some are up to 30 feet high. Who is going to read that? Why should the Chamber of Commerce spend $4 million lying to us all instead of working with the local population demanding city government fix this!”
MyrtleBeachSC.com did reach out to City Manager John Pedersen, Mayor John Rhodes, Councilman Wayne Gray, Councilwoman Mary Jeffcoat, Councilman Randal Wallace, Councilman Mike Lowder, Councilman Phil Render, and Councilman Mike Chestnut on late Wednesday when we received the ratings.
None have returned our calls as of this report.
*NRDC: Natural Resources Defense Council is an “official” ocean water quality rating organization
