North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Ruben Lowman
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services Bureau of Water has officially scheduled a public meeting to address the controversial expansion of the Horry County Solid Waste Authority (HCSWA) landfill on Highway 90.
The meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, at the Carolina Forest Recreational Center, specifically in multipurpose rooms A and B. This formal gathering follows a significant community push for transparency, after nearly 70 local residents signed a comment letter requesting the state agency hold a public forum to evaluate the project’s potential environmental consequences.
The proposed expansion by HCSWA involves filling more than 100 acres of wetlands to accommodate 23.4 million tons of non-divertible waste over the next 45 years.
This expansion is designed to meet the infrastructure demands of Horry County’s rapidly increasing population, but it has faced stiff opposition from nearby residents, environmentalists and conservationists.
Homeowners living near the Highway 90 site have expressed fears that the loss of wetlands, which are naturally connected to Sterritt Swamp, could lead to increased flooding in their neighborhoods.
Furthermore, environmental advocates warn that eliminating these natural water filtration systems could allow pollutants from the landfill to reach the Waccamaw River, potentially endangering 15 different species that are currently listed as threatened or endangered.
During the upcoming April meeting, members of the public will have the opportunity to provide oral statements and voice their concerns directly to state officials.
While these verbal comments will be recorded, the Department of Environmental Services has requested that detailed facts and formal written statements be submitted via mail or email to ensure accuracy in the project’s administrative record. Documents can be directed to Michele Culbreath at the agency’s Bureau of Water office in Columbia.
This meeting represents a pivotal moment for the project as the state weighs the necessity of expanded waste capacity against the protection of sensitive local ecosystems.
