Read more about other priority bills

Read the full list of Conservation Community 2008 Legislative Priorities

CVSC Vote Tracker

Click here for a list of House members and contact information. 

Click here for a list of Senators and contact information.

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Energizing South Carolina's Future

Hot summers and cold winters are not the reason for South Carolina ranking third highest in per capita electricity use in the United States and paying some of the largest bills. It is the result of energy inefficiency that is weakening our state’s economy and burdening working families. Every year, South Carolina exports $1 billion to buy energy from other states and hostile nations.

The conservation community is monitoring several energy efficiency bills being considered by the House and Senate this week. Legislation that encourages state agencies to conserve power (H.4766), and bills that set in place sales tax holidays for the purchase of Energy Star appliances (S.1143) and tax credits for the purchase of Energy Star certified manufactured homes (S.1141) are being heard in Committee this week.

We urge elected officials to do their part during these last weeks of the 2007-2008 Session to pave the way for South Carolina to a clean energy future - a major priority of the conservation community.

Lobby Team Tuesday

Tomorrow, Tuesday May 13, Audubon South Carolina will be in Columbia to advocate for Conservation Bank funding.

There are only three more Lobby  Team Tuesdays before session ends, so please consider visiting the State House in May as the conservation community makes its final push to move the conservation agenda through the State House during the remainder of the month.

Weekly Lobby Teams meet each Tuesday

 at 11:00 a.m. and last until approximately 3:00 p.m.

 The team meets at the Nickelodeon Theatre, located at 937 Main Street in Columbia

 on the corner of South Main and Pendleton streets behind the State House.

IN THE SENATE

Net Metering (H.3395, PRIORITY)

H.3395 by Rep. Laurie Funderburk and Rep. Mac Toole was ratified last week and is on its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature. This joint resolution requires the State Energy Office and the Office of Regulatory Staff to provide a report to the General Assembly recommending processes and procedures for establishing net metering programs through investor owned utilities and the SC Public Service Authority no later than January 1, 2009.

State Agency Energy Conservation (H.4766, PRIORITY)
H.4766 by Rep. Phil Lowe, which has already passed the House, requires that state agencies reduce their energy consumption 20 percent by 2020 and encourages the procurement of energy efficient products. This bill is being considered by a Senate Agriculture Subcommittee (Sen. Paul Campbell, Chip Campsen, Kent Williams, Yancey McGill, and Ronnie Cromer) Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. in Gressette Room 406.

Sustainable Homes (H.4892, PRIORITY)

The Energy Independence and Sustainable Homes Act, H.4892 by Rep. Nikki Haley, has passed the House and is being taken up by the Senate Finance Committee in the coming weeks. This legislation would allow South Carolina home builders to receive a $1,000 state income tax credit for building affordable homes that consume less energy. The tax credit is available for eight years from July 1, 2008 through July 1, 2016.

Farm to School Program Act (H.4833, PRIORITY)

The House has approved H.4833 by Representatives Dan Cooper and Laurie Funderburk, which fosters a direct relationship between South Carolina farms and schools to provide schools with fresh and minimally-processed foods for students’ meals. The bill hopes to encourage healthy eating habits, improve farmers’ incomes and direct access to markets, and provide students with hands-on learning opportunities. This bill remains in a Senate Education Subcommittee.

Reliable Water (S.428)
The conservation community opposes S.428 as amended by the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee because a fair surface water withdrawal permitting program must include strong minimum instream flow standards that apply to ALL of SC’s rivers and provide that permits are only valid so long as withdrawals are for the same purpose as originally permitted. A minority report has been placed on S.428, so it remains on the contested calendar. This bill will be debated by the full Senate only if the body votes to move S.428 into a Special Order slot on the calendar. PASSING A SURFACE WATER PERMITTING BILL THAT PROTECTS THE PUBLIC’S INTEREST IS A MAJOR PRIORITY NEXT YEAR.

IN THE HOUSE

Conservation Bank Funding (PRIORITY)
Last week, the House reconsidered its 2008-09 budget in an effort to balance the budget it approved in March. Thursday, the House cut approximately $180 million due to severe revenue shortfalls that occurred in April by adopting amendments to cut many programs and state agencies. Thankfully, the Conservation Bank base funding was not eliminated. However, the House did not adopt the Senate’s proviso language that would protect Conservation Bank funding this year. Since the proviso was adopted by the Senate but not the House, this issue will be debated in the Budget Conference Committee. The conservation community urges conference committee members, once they are appointed, to ensure the Bank's base funding will not be in jeopardy in future years.

Energizing the Future (PRIORITY)

The Senate has passed all of the following bills in Sen. Glenn McConnell’s energy efficiency package, and the conservation community continues to work to get Subcommittee hearings on these bills.

• S.1076 creates a new non-profit agency to provide financial assistance to low income households for energy efficiency improvements (Referred to House Ways and Means Committee).

• S.1140 establishes energy efficiency and renewable energy goals for state government, and directs our state’s agencies to procure energy efficient products. State agencies will be required to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs by July 1, 2011. Last week a House Ways and Means Subcommittee tabled this bill, and we are disappointed with the Subcommittee's action, but are encouraged that a similar bill, H.4766 by Rep. Phil Lowe (above) is being considered by a Senate Agriculture Subcommittee Wednesday, May 14, at 10:00 a.m. in Gressette Room 406.

• S.1141 eliminates state sales tax and provides a $750 tax credit for the purchase of Energy Star certified manufactured homes through 2019. The bill has been amended to ensure that if the state experiences a future budget shortfall, then the sales tax and income tax incentives created through this bill would be suspended for the year. The L.C.I. Real Estate Subcommittee (Rep. Chip Huggins- Chair, Jimmy Bales, Glenn Hamilton, David Mack, and Olin Philips) is meeting Thursday, May 15, at 9:00 a.m. in Blatt Room 403.

• S.1143 provides consumers a sales tax holiday during the month of October, National Energy Efficiency Month, for the purchase of certain Energy Star products. The bill would be effective July 1, 2009 through 2019. The Sales and Income Tax Subcommittee approved this bill last week and the full Ways and Means Committee (Rep. Dan Cooper- Chair, Annette Young, Rex RIce, Lanny Littlejohn, Herb Kirsh, Liston Barfield, Jim Battle, Kenny Bingham, Bill Clyburn, Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Bill Cotty, Ralph Davenport, Tracy Edge, Kenneth Kennedy, Bob Leach, Chip Limehouse, Jay Lucas, Jim Merill, Joe Neal, Denny Neilson, Harry Ott, Gary Simrill, Roland Smith, Adam Taylor, Brian White) is considering S.1143 Wednesday, May 14, 1 and ½ hours after adjournment of the House in Blatt Room 521.

Coastal Management (H.5029, CONCERN)
Last week the Environmental Affairs II Subcommittee (Rep. Dwight Loftis- Chair, Nelson Hardwick, Kenneth Hodges, Phillip Lowe, Harold Mitchell) held a public hearing on H.5029, a resolution by Representatives Billy Witherspoon and Dwight Loftis, that requests DHEC promulgate the policies of the SC Coastal Zone Management Plan in regulation. Development interests challenged the validity of the program that was approved by both the General Assembly and the Governor nearly 30 years ago. Following testimony from conservation community members who defended the program, the Subcommittee did not take any action on the resolution last week. However, a second subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, at 9:00 a.m. in Blatt Room 410.

Conservation Tax Credits (H.5097, PRIORITY)

H.5097 by Rep. Ted Vick is a bill relating to income tax credits for conservation easements. This bill remains in the Ways and Means Committee.

Conservation Voters

of South Carolina
1226 Pickens St., Ste 104
Columbia, SC 29201
www.conservationvotersofsc.org

Contact:

Debbie Parker
dparker@scvoters.org

Phone: (803) 799-0716
Fax: (803) 799-0719

2008 Common Agenda member organizations:

Aiken County Open Land Trust, American Rivers-Southeast Region, Audubon SC,

Beaufort County Open Land Trust, Citizens for Community Protection, Coastal Conservation League, Community Open Land Trust, Conservation Voters of SC Education Fund, Edisto Island Open Land Trust, Friends of the Edisto, Friends of the Reedy River, Friends of the Rivers, Horry County PRIDE, League of Women Voters of SC, Responsible Economic Development, SC Council of Trout Unlimited, SC Ducks Unlimited, SC Environmental Law Project, SC Native Plant Society, SC Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club-SC Chapter, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Southern Environmental Law Center, Upstate Forever, Wildlife Action, Winyah Rivers Foundation